BANCROFT 

LIBRARY 
«• 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


WAH-KEE-NAH. 


WAH-KEE-NAH 

AND   HER  PEOPLE 


THE    CURIOUS    CUSTOMS,    TRADlflONS,    AND 
LEGENDS  OF  THE  NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS 


BY 

JAMES  C.  STRONG 

BVT.  BRIG.-GEN.  VETERAN    RESERVE   CORPS,    U.S.A. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW    YORK  LONDON 

27   WEST   TWENTY-THIRD    STREET  24    BEDFORD    STREET,  STRAND 

<£|je  T\mchttbother  Ipress 
1893 


577 


COPYRIGHT,   1893 
BY 

JAMES  C.  STRONG 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 

BY  G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


Electrotyped,  Printed  and  Bound  by 

Ube  mnicfeerbocfcer  ipress,  mew  Jgorfr 
G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


PREFACE. 

WHEN  the  white  man  first  came  to  make  his 
home  in  the  New  World,  that  portion  of  it 
which  now  constitutes  the  United  States 
and  its  Territories  was  inhabited  by  probably  up- 
wards of  a  million  Indians,  who,  so  far  as  we  know, 
were  the  aborigines  of  the  country.  Their  numbers 
are  now  reduced  to  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand,  and  none  of  these  can  be  properly  called 
"Wild  Indians,"  as  all  of  them  are  now  gathered 
upon  reservations,  under  the  charge  of  agents  of  the 
United  States,  and  supplied  at  certain  periods,  with 
food  and  clothing  furnished  by  the  Government. 
Those  in  British  Columbia  are  also  gathered  upon 
reservations  and  cared  for  by  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment. 

I  began  to  live  among  the  Indians  upon  the  Pacific 
Coast  in  1850,  learned  one  of  their  languages,  and  for 
six  years  travelled  with  and  among  them. 

Like  most  others  who  have  lived  with  them  and 
become  familiar  with  their  folk-lore,  habits,  and  home 
life,  my  sympathies  became  strongly  enlisted  in  their 
behalf.  The  exceptions  to  this  state  of  feeling  I 
have  found  chiefly  among  those  who,  living  with  or 

iii 


iv  Preface. 

near  them,  have  coveted  their  land,  and  as  a  rule 
scrupled  at  nothing  as  a  means  of  obtaining  it ;  and, 
to  ease  their  conscience,  or  justify  their  conduct, 
have  decried  and  vilified  the  Indian  as  a  monster  in 
human  shape  which  they  were  justified  in  extermi- 
nating. 

It  does  not  seem  to  me  that  these  are  as  competent 
to  testify  to  the  true  character  of  the  Indian  as  those 
who  have  lived  among  them  as  friends,  with  no  mo- 
tive other  than  that  of  studying  this  remarkable  but 
unfortunate  primitive  race. 

This  book  was  begun  at  the  solicitation  of  friends, 
who  desired  me  to  put  in  writing  my  experience 
among  the  "  Wild  Indians  "  of  forty  years  ago,  to- 
gether with  the  traditions  and  legends  related  to  me 
by  their  aged  men  and  women,  whose  memories  ran 
back  to  a  time  when  no  white  man  had  made  his 
appearance  upon  the  Pacific  Coast,  except  in  Alaska. 

In  doing  this,  and  as  I  recalled  my  life  among  the 
Indians  and  remembered  that  wherever  I  had  found 
them  in  their  primitive  state  they  were  kind  and 
hospitable,  always  more  ready  to  do  a  favor  than  an 
injury,  the  question  forced  itself  upon  me,  Why  is  it 
that  after  a  short  association  with  the  whites,  these 
people  became  changed  in  character?  and  this  ques- 
tion has  led  to  a  review  of  the  treatment  received  by 
them  at  the  hands  of  the  white  men.  In  this  I  have 
endeavored  to  look  upon  the  events  narrated,  from 
the  Indian's  point  of  view — through  his  eyes,  as  it 
were, — and  thus  to  appreciate  more  clearly  the  natural 
effect  which  such  events  would  be  likely  to  have  upon 


Preface.  v 

the  feelings  and  actions  of  any  other  man  in  his 
place. 

I  have  written  of  these  people  as  I  have  found 
them  in  my  life  among  them  ;  have  related  my  per- 
sonal experience  with  them ;  and  have  treated  of 
their  habits,  customs,  traditions,  and  legends  as  I 
have  seen  and  heard  them. 

Although  not  originally  written  for  publication,  I 
have  concluded  to  place  these  pages  before  my 
countrymen  and  countrywomen,  hoping  that  they 
may  not  only  entertain  the  reader,  but  also  serve  to 
lessen  the  blame  attached  to  the  Indian  for  the  acts 
of  retaliation  (often  savage  and  brutal,  it  must  be 
admitted)  which  the  white  man's  treatment  of  him 
has  incited ;  and  with  the  further  hope  of  inducing 
those  who  read,  to  think  upon  one  of  the  great  ques- 
tions of  the  day — how  to  solve  the  Indian  problem.' 

Much  that  is  herein  written  has  been  gathered 
from  original  sources  and  personal  experience;  but 
for  the  brief  outlines  of  Indian  history  from  the  time 
that  these  people  first  became  known  to  the  white 
man  down  to  the  year  1850,  I  am  indebted  to  the 
historians  of  the  American  continent — an  indebt- 
edness which  I  take  pleasure  in  thus  generally 
acknowledging. 

I  have  called  this  book  "  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her 
People,"  in  grateful  memory  of  a  beautiful  Indian 
maiden  who  saved  my  life  at  imminent  risk  of  her 
own,  and  whose  story  forms  a  brief  episode  herein. 

J.  C.  S. 

BUFFALO,  N.  Y, 


ft 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

PAGE 

Introduction — Character  of  primitive  Indians — Interesting 
incidents — Massacre  of  the  Pequots — King  Philip's  war.  .  .  I 

CHAPTER    II. 

Incidents  continued — Effect  upon  the  Indians — Sources  of 
trouble — Capt.  John  Smith  and  Pocahontas— Marriage  and  death 
of  the  Indian  princess — Indian  chief  killed  for  taking  a  tin  can 
to  make  a  tobacco-box — The  Ho-de-no-sau-nee,  Iroquois,  or  Six 
Nations — Their  "totems" — Wampum  belts,  how  made;  their 
use — Progress  in  agriculture — Councils — The  calumet  and  its 
use — Councils  for  the  women — Marriage — Indian's  argument  in 
favor  of  easy  divorce.  .  . 13 

CHAPTER     III. 

Dances — Ancient  war  dance — Liberating  a  live  bird  as  a  part 
of  the  burial  ceremony — Religious  belief — A  chief's  reason  for 
not  embracing  the  white  man's  religion — Totem  or  record  post — 
Game  of  ball  with  the  Eries — Foot-race — Wrestling  for  life — 
The  vanquished  tomahawked  by  his  infuriated  chief — Battle  be- 
tween the  Eries  and  the  Iroquois — Sa-go-ye-wat-ta — His  speech 
— Tah-gah-jute — His  love  for  the  whites — His  family  butchered 
—His  revenge — His  speech. 29 


viii  Contents. 


CHAPTER     IV. 

PAGE 

Superstitions — Soi-en-ga-rah-ta's  dream — How  he  was  out- 
witted— Joseph  Brant,  the  Mohawk  chieftain — How  he  saved 
the  lives  of  the  white  women  and  children  after  the  battle  of 
Springfield — Indian's  dress — How  it  was  made  before  the  whites 
came — How  ornamented  —  Children  —  Pappoose  board,  how 
carried  and  how  disposed  of — Indians  west  of  the  Iroquois — 
Their  habits — Simon  Kenton — How  he  stole  the  Indians'  horses 
— How  he  was  captured — Running  the  gauntlet — His  escape — 
Western  tribes — Their  religious  belief — Their  war  dance— Other 
dances 46 

CHAPTER    V. 

The  Sioux,  or  Dakotas — Their  strength — Weapons — Singular 
cap — Their  reasons  for  taking  scalps — Their  reason  for  not  tak- 
ing them— Their  belief  in  regard  to  the  appearance  of  persons  in 
the  spirit  land — Curious  manner  of  insulting  the  enemy — Lan- 
guage of  feathers — How  they  dispose  of  their  dead — The  red 
hand — How  the  young  men  wooed  their  brides — Stealing  a  bride 
— Marriage  ceremony  in  high  life — Superstitions  in  regard  to  the 
ceremony — Superstitions  relating  to  idiots  and  insane  persons — 
How  Prof.  Hayden  was  benefited  by  this — Doctors,  or  medicine 
men — How  made — How  called  for — The  sacred  rattle — How 
made — How  the  medicine  men  heal  the  sick — The  spirit  of  an 
animal  in  the  body — How  drawn  out  and  forced  into  a  piece  of 
bark — How  the  spirit  is  shot  and  burned — The  doctor's  troubles.  62 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Story  of  Wi-jun-jon — How  he  kept  count  of  the  white  men's 
houses  on  his  journey  to  Washington — His  disgust — His  meta- 
morphose— The  superstition  in  regard  to  him  on  his  return  to  his 
own  country — Had  learned  to  lie  like  white  men — How  the  evil 
spirit  in  him  was  overcome  with  the  bale  of  an  old  iron  pot — 
Stoicism — How  children  are  taught  to  be  stoics — Battle  with  the 
hornets — Oratory  of  the  chief  "Two  Stars" — The  Mandans — 


Contents.  ix 


Their  belief  that  the  eyes  in  a  portrait  moved — Their  curious 
ideas  relating  to  it — Buffalo  hunting — The  usual  manner  of 
catching  and  taming  the  wild  horse — The  Comanches— Their 
mode  of  breaking  in  wild  horses.  ......  79 

CHAPTER    VII. 

The  northern  Indians— How  they  built  their  houses — Windows 
made  of  ice — How  they  caught  deer — The  "kaiak" — Their 
fires — How  made — Their  unique  manner  of  killing  the  polar 
bear  —  Marriage  —  The  Koniagas  —  Their  ornaments  —  The 
"parka,"  how  made— The  Aleuts— Their  weapons  and  domestic 
implements — How  they  caught  the  bear — Games — The  Thlin- 
keets — Peculiar  hat — Slaves — Stone  pipes — Marriage  ceremony 
lasting  four  weeks.  .........  93 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

The  Tinneh  family — Superstitions  in  regard  to  dancing — Super- 
stition in  regard  to  cutting  the  finger  nails  of  a  female  child — 
Hiaquas  as  money — Efficacy  of  a  chief's  teepee,  and  his  clothes — 
When  the  doctors  must  return  the  fee — Slavery — Widow  com- 
pelled to  mount  the  funeral  pyre  of  her  husband,  as  in  India — 
When  allowed  to  escape  burning  to  death — How  the  husband's 
ashes  are  disposed  of  for  two  years — Pottery,  how  made — Binding 
the  feet  of  female  infants,  as  in  China — Their  reasons  for  going  to 
war — The  Haidahs — How  labor  is  divided — Salt — Hunting  the 
whale — Complexion — Houses  high  in  the  air — Singular  har- 
poons— How  they  make  their  bows — Pipes  carved  from  stone — 
Immense  canoes,  how  made — Musical  instruments — Blankets, 
how  woven — Peculiar  breed  of  dogs  that  they  sheared  like 
sheep — Superstitions  in  regard  to  marriage — Ceremony  on  the 
water — How  they  gambled — The  Nootkas — Short  hair — Flatten- 
ing the  head— Adornment  of  the  women — When  they  considered 
themselves  old,  and  ceased  such  adornment — Amusements — Love 
powder  and  its  uses — Puget  Sound  Indians — How  they  caught 
wild  fowl.  106 


Contents. 


CHAPTER     IX. 

PAGE 

The  Chinooks— "  Aunt  Sally" — Exciting  occurrence  while 
fastening  a  whale — Salmon,  how  caught — Expedition  to  the  Cas- 
cades for  slaves — Attempted  suicide  of  a  chief's  daughter,  rather 
than  become  a  slave — What  she  found  on  arriving  at  her  captor's 
home — Buying  freedom — Story  of  two  slave  boys  who  were  to  be 
killed  to  wait  upon  their  master  in  the  spirit  land — Burial  of 
their  master — Little  slave  boy  tied  to  the  death  post — How 
rescued — "  Must  I  eat  all  this  ?" — The  belief  of  the  Chinooks  in 
spirits — Legend  in  regard  to  mountains — Legend  of  the  Cascades 
— Submerged  forests — Mount  St.  Helen's  "  got  angry."  .  .  122 

CHAPTER    X. 

Indians'  fidelity  to  friends — Wah-kee-nah — Her  costume — 
Shooting  her  first  deer — How  she  saved  the  life  of  my  brother's 
little  boy — Her  perilous  adventure  with  mountain  wolves — 
Attacked  by  a  panther — Her  escape — How  she  saved  my  life  at 
the  risk  of  her  own — Her  lover  Le-lim — His  persistency  rewarded 
— Wah-kee-nah  the  bride  of  the  chieftain's  son.  .  .  .  137 

CHAPTER     XI. 

Yakima  war — Quotations  from  Maj.  Genl.  Wool's  report  of 
that  war — Bravery  of  a  white  woman  and  her  daughter — How 
the  husband  and  father  was  killed — Their  house  set  on  fire  with 
fire  arrows — How  the  women  killed  four  Indians — The  mother 
struck  with  an  arrow — Their  miraculous  escape — A  little  Indian 
boy  killed  by  a  white  man  for  trying  to  defend  his  mother — Story 
of  an  Indian  who  was  shot  by  a  white  man  because  he  would  not 
trade  horses 157 

CHAPTER     XII. 

Marriage  ceremony  among  the  river  Chinooks — How  it  dif- 
fered from  that  in  the  mountainous  country — Exciting  race  on 
horseback  for  a  bride — Four  suitors  in  the  race — The  one  who 


Contents.  xi 


PAGE 

first  caught  her  to  have  her — Her  wedding  ceremony — Evil  omens 
— How  propitiated — Wedding  presents — No  credit  in  connubial 
matters — How  Indians  hide  their  tracks — How  they  leave  signs 
for  friends  to  follow — An  elk  hunt — How  I  found  the  guides — 
Gambling — Indian's  offer  to  wager  his  wife  against  my  canoe 
upon  a  game  with  beaver's  teeth — How  I  won  the  beaver's  teeth — 
Why  Indians  gamble.  ........  167 

CHAPTER     XIII.  * 

Incident  relating  to  the  Indians  south  of  the  thirty-third  parallel 
of  north  latitude — Indians  apt  scholars  in  the  art  of  treachery — 
How  taught  them — Identity  of  woman's  mind — Wanton  cruelty 
toward  the  Indians — Woman  chief — Her  necklace  of  pearls — 
What  became  of  it — She  taken  prisoner  and  held  as  a  hostage  by 
the  whites — Her  escape — Burning  Indians  at  the  stake  by  the 
whites  to  make  them  tell  where  the  gold  mines  were — Cutting 
both  hands  off  all  the  chiefs 183 

CHAPTER     XIV. 

The  Miccosukies — William  Bartram — Scenes  at  a  great  chief's 
death-bed — Dr.  Henry  Perrine — Hiding  his  family  under  a 
wharf — Their  experience  when  the  wharf  took  fire — Dr.  Perrine's 
death — Miraculous  escape  of  the  family — Laws  of  the  Seminoles 
as  to  marriage — Death  for  marrying  a  white  person — Singular 
custom  of  the  Pawnees — How  they  cut  their  hair  before  the  in- 
troduction of  knives  or  shears — Growing  the  scalp  lock — Beauty 
of  their  wild  horses — Pawnee  agriculture — Flattening  the  head 
among  the  Chocktaws  and  Chickasaws — The  Comanches — Re- 
ports in  regard  to  their  primitive  character — Reports  of  their 
present  character 194 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Anahuac,  or  Maheco  —  Arrival  of  Cortes  —  An  unnatural 
mother — A  cazique's  daughter  made  a  slave — Rescued  by  acci- 
dent— Becomes  an  interpreter — Indian  General  Tuetile — Indian 


xii  Contents. 


Governor  Pilpato — Singular  salutation — Description  of  the 
presents  brought  by  the  Indian  general — His  speech  on  present- 
ing them — How  the  whites  displayed  their  power — Indian  artists 
— Indian  system  of  chirography — Gold  a  cure  for  disease  of  the 
heart — More  presents — Description  of  them — Indian  general's 
speech — Reply — The  Indian's  anger — Cazique  of  Cempoala — 
How  to  make  brave  soldiers — Destruction  of  the  Cempoalan's 
idols — The  wonderful  legend  in  regard  to  Quetzalcoatl — The 
belief  that  he  or  his  descendants  would  return — His  return  feared 
by  the  rulers — Battle  between  the  whites  and  the  Tlascalans — 
Indian  belief  that  the  whites  derived  their  power  from  the  sun — 
Battle  in  the  night — Cutting  off  the  hands  of  the  Indians  by  the 
whites 209 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Peace  made  with  the  Tlascalans — Speech  of  the  .Tlascalan 
general — Reply — More  presents  from  the  Indian  emperor — De- 
scription of  them — Fine  agriculture — Stone  arched  bridge — 
Description  of  the  Indian  reception  at  Tlascala — Evergreen 
arches,  festoons,  etc. — Description  of  the  city— Four  hundred 
Indian  maidens  given  to  the  white  soldiers — Indian  advice  show- 
ing true  friendship — Six  thousand  Tlascalan  soldiers  join  the 
whites — Description  of  the  country  between  Tlascala  and  Cho- 
lula — The  entry  into  the  city  of  Cholula — Description  of  the 
Cholulans — Conspiracy  to  destroy  the  Spaniards — Their  guardian 
angel — Conspiracy  discovered — The  slaughter  of  five  thousand 
Indians — The  emperor's  fear — Extract  from  the  speech  made 
at  his  accession  to  the  throne — Description  of  more  of  his 
presents — Agriculture  and  horticulture  in  the  valley— Description 
of  the  valley — The  emperor's  resolve  not  to  oppose  the  whites 
— More  presents,  and  a  large  bribe.  ......  226 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Town  over  the  water — Stone  houses — Indians  shot  down — 
Cazique  of  Texcuco — His  palanquin — Presentation  of  pearls — 
Causeways — Floating  gardens — Iztapalapan — Its  architecture — 


Contents.  xiii 


PAGE 

Beautiful  gardens — Garden  reservoir  and  fountain — Cortes  met 
by  several  hundred  Indian  chiefs — Drawbridge — Approach  of 
the  emperor — His  palanquin — Description  of  the  ceremony  on 
meeting — Description  of  the  emperor — The  entry  into  the 
capital — Description  of  the  Indians  in  the  city — Visit  of  the 
emperor — Description  of  the  gifts  he  brought — Firing  the  artil- 
lery— Dismay  of  the  Indians — Visit  to  the  emperor — Manner  of 
approaching  him — The  emperor's  reply  to  the  speech  of  the 
whites — Description  of  the  palace — Description  of  the  city — 
Dishes,  how  made — Dresses  of  the  women.  ....  242 


CHAPTER     XVIII. 

Division  of  the  presents  among  the  whites — Their  value  in 
dollars,  and  pounds  sterling — Arrest  of  the  emperor — The  burn- 
ing alive  of  a  cazique,  his  son,  and  fifteen  chiefs,  by  the  Span- 
iards— Butchery  of  several  hundred  Indians  while  attending  a 
festival — Death  of  the  emperor  while  a  prisoner — The  whites 
driven  from  the  city — They  recapture  the  city,  by  the  aid  of 
caziques  who  still  believe  the  whites  to  be  descendants  of  the 
"  God  of  the  Air" — Guatemozin,  the  ruler  after  the  death  of  the 
emperor — Tortured  and  hanged  after  being  promised  protec- 
tion— Sacrifice  of  human  beings  by  the  whites — Indian  records 
and  books  burned — Growth  of  civilization  among  the  Indians — 
What  the  United  States  and  Canada  are  doing  for  the  Indians — 
Broken  promises  the  cause  of  Indian  wars — Why  they  should  be 
made  citizens — How  now  situated — Indian  judges  and  juries — 
Assistant  farmers — How  one  of  them  planted  turnips — Schools 
for  Indian  children — Indian  agents — White  crows — Motive  for 
becoming  an  Indian  agent — Reasons  for  putting  the  Indians 
under  the  care  of  the  War  Department — Agricultural  schools — 
Conclusion,,  ..........  258 


WAH-KEE-NAH  AND  HER  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  researches  and  discoveries  of  the  anthropolo- 
gist prove  conclusively  that  North  America  has 
been  inhabited  by  human  beings  for  countless 
ages.     It  is,  however,  outside  of  my  purpose,  and  of 
the  scope  of  this  volume,  to  enter  into  any  discussion 
of  the  facts  upon  which  that  conclusion  is  based. 

"  Originally,  for  a  savage  wilderness,  there  was 
here  a  dense  population.  Before  the  advent  of 
Europeans,  America  counted  its  aborigines  by  mil- 
lions ;  among  whom  might  be  found  every  phase  of 
primitive  humanity,  from  the  reptile-eating  cave- 
dweller  of  the  Great  Basin,  to  the  Aztec  and  Maya- 
Guiche  civilization  of  the  table-land  ; — a  civilization 
characterized  by  Dr.  Draper  as  one  *  that  might  have 
instructed  Europe,  a  culture  wantonly  crushed  by 
Spain,  who  therein  destroyed  races  more  civilized 
than  herself.'  " 

Mr.  Bancroft  says  :  "  In  the  study  of  mankind, 
everything  connected  therewith  becomes  of  import- 


Wah-kee-nah 


ance.  There  is  not  a  feature  of  primitive  humanity 
without  significance,  nor  a  custom  or  characteristic 
of  savage  nations,  however  mean  or  revolting  to  us, 
from  which  important  lessons  may  not  be  drawn.  It 
is  only  from  the  study  of  barbarous  and  partially 
cultivated  nations  that  we  are  able  to  comprehend 
man  as  a  progressive  being,  and  to  recognize  the 
successive  stages  through  which  our  savage  ancestors 
have  passed,  on  their  way  to  civilization.  In  our 
study  of  humanity,  the  lower  races  of  men  are  as 
essentially  important  as  the  higher ;  our  present 
higher  races  being  but  the  lower  types  of  genera- 
tions yet  to  come.  The  nations  now  most  civilized 
were  once  barbarians.  Our  ancestors  were  savages, 
who,  with  tangled  hair,  glaring  eyes,  and  blood- 
besmeared  hands  devoured  man  and  beast  alike." 
From  this  point  of  view,  does  not  a  study  of  the 
North  American  Indians  become  of  great  interest 
to  us? 

The  first  knowledge  we  have  of  America  or  its 
inhabitants,  outside  of  the  prehistoric,  is  derived 
from  various  visits  of  the  Norsemen,  between  the 
years  994  and  1012.  The  origin  of  the  native  In- 
dians is  yet  an  unsettled  question.  It  is  my  pur- 
pose to  deal  with  them  only  from  the  beginning  of 
authentic  history. 

For  the  purpose  of  accounting  for  the  change  in 
the  character  of  the  Indians  from  "  quiet,  peaceable 
people,"  as  they  were  always  at  first  reported  to  be, 
to  what  they  were  afterwards  termed — savages, — I 
may  be  permitted  to  cite  a  few  facts  in  history 


And  Her  People. 


regarding  the  treatment  they  have  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  whites  from  their  earliest  acquaintance 
with  them. 

It  is  well  known  that  when  Columbus,  upon  his 
first  voyage  in  1492,  discovered  land,  he  supposed  he 
had  reached  India  by  a  western'  passage,  and,  find- 
ing the  land  inhabited  by  a  race  of  people  unlike  any 
he  had  ever  seen  or  heard  of,  he  called  them  Indians 
— a  name  which  has  since  remained  the  distinguish- 
ing cognomen  of  all  the  native  inhabitants  of  America. 
He  found  them  a  quiet,  peaceable  people,  as  is  shown 
by  one  of  his  biographers,  Andres  Bernaldez,  an  in- 
timate friend  under  whose  hospitable  roof  Columbus 
had  often  been  entertained,  both  before  and  after 
his  voyages.  He  informed  Bernaldez  that : 

"  These  people  were  all  simple,  peaceable,  liberal, 
and  well-disposed,  sharing  with  each  other,  making 
free  with  whatever  they  possessed,  and  giving  without 
stint.  Those  that  came  to  the  ships,  after  they  had 
recovered  from  their  fears,  showed  toward  our  people 
much  love  and  good-will ;  and  for  whatever  was  given 
them  they  returned  many  thanks  and  received  it 
with  much  gratitude,  and  gave  whatever  they  had  in 
return.  This  was  not  in  consequence  of  their  sim- 
plicity or  lack  of  understanding,  for  they  are  a  very 
subtle  race,  of  much  acuteness,  and  they  navigate  all 
the  neighboring  seas,  and  it  is  wonderful  to  hear  the 
account  they  give  of  everything,  except  that  they 
never  heard  of  people  wearing  clothes,  or  of  such 
vessels  as  those  of  the  Spaniards." 

From  this  we  may  see  what  the  native  Indians 


Wah-kee-nah 


were,  as  they  were  found  by  Columbus,  prior  to  any 
association  with  the  "  civilization  of  Europe  "  ;  and 
if,  in  our  further  contemplation  of  their  character 
and  habits,  we  find  them  changed,  we  may  be  able 
to  fix  the  responsibility  for  such  change  where  it 
rightfully  belongs. 

Upon  the  second  voyage  of  Columbus,  we  find 
that  he  began  treating  these  simple  natives  in  a 
manner  by  no  means  in  accord  with  the  hospitality 
with  which  they  had  received  him.  His  biographer 
says :  "  He  made  incursions  into  the  interior  and 
captured  vast  numbers  of  natives ;  and  the  second 
time  that  his  vessels  returned  to  Spain,  he  sent  five 
hundred  Indian  men  and  women,  all  in  the  flower  of 
their  age,  between  twelve  years  and  thirty-five,  or 
thereabouts.  They  were  delivered  at  Seville  to  Don 
Juan  de  Fonseca,  and  sold  as  slaves,  but  proved  of 
little  service,  for  the  greater  part  of  them  soon 
died." 

We  see  here  the  beginning  of  that  inhuman  and 
un-Christian  conduct  towards  the  Indian  which  has 
so  changed  his  character. 

In  1497  John  Cabot,  with  his  son  Sebastian,  visited 
the  northern  coast.  They  were  more  considerate  or 
more  modest  than  Columbus,  for  they  only  kid- 
napped three  Indians,  whom  they  took  as  curiosities 
to  Henry  VII.  of  England. 

In  1500  Caspar  Cortereal,  a  Portuguese  admiral, 
sailed  along  the  northeastern  coast.  "  He  returned,'* 
says  his  historian,  "  with  glowing  reports  of  the 
fruitfulness  of  the  country  in  herbage  and  in  trees 


And  Her  People. 


fit  for  shipbuilding,  and  with  a  number  of  captive 
Indians,  whom  he  sold  as  slaves." 

Numerous  voyages  were  made  by  Europeans  to 
the  New  World  between  the  last  mentioned. date  and 
the  permanent  settlement  of  the  country.  Among 
these  was  that  of  Bartholomew  Gosnold,  in  1602,  who 
reported  in  regard  to  the  Indians  found  by  him,  that 
"  these  people  are  exceeding  courteous,  gentle  of 
disposition,  and  well-conditioned." 

Another  voyage  was  that  of  George  Waymouth, 
in  1605.  Of  the  Indians  he  says:  "  When  we  came 
on  shore  they  most  kindly  entertained  us,  taking  us 
by  the  hand,  and  brought  us  to  sit  down  by  their 
fire.  They  filled  their  pipes,  and  gave  us  of  their 
excellent  tobacco  as  much  as  we  would."  One  day 
two  canoes,  each  carrying  three  Indians,  came  out  to 
the  ship,  and  three  of  the  visitors  were  induced  to 
go  on  board.  What  then  happened  is  thus  related 
by  Waymouth  :  "  Because  we  could  not  entice  the 
other  three  on  board,  we  gave  them  a  can  of  peas 
and  bread,  which  they  carried  to  the  shore  to  eat. 
When  our  captain  was  come  we  considered  how  to 
catch  the  other  three  at  shore,  which  we  performed 
thus :  We  manned  the  light  boat  with  seven  or  eight 
men ;  the  one  standing  in  front  carried  our  box  of 
merchandise,  as  we  were  wont  to  do  when  we  went 
to  traffic  with  them,  and  also  a  platter  of  peas,  which 
food  they  loved  ;  but  before  we  were  landed  one 
withdrew  himself  into  the  wood.  The  other  two  met 
us  on  shore  to  receive  the  peas,  with  whom  we  went 
up  the  cliff  to  their  fire  and  sat  down  with  them,  and 


Wah-kee-nah 


while  we  were  discussing  how  to  catch  the  third  man 
who  was  gone,  I  opened  the  box  and  showed  them 
the  trifles  to  exchange,  thinking  thereby  to  have  ban- 
ished fear  from  the  other,  and  draw  him  to  return  ; 
but  when  we  could  not,  we  used  little  delay,  but 
suddenly  laid  hands  upon  them,  and  it  was  as  much 
as  five  or  six  of  us  could  do  to  get  them  into  the 
boat,  for  they  were  strong,  and  so  naked  that  our 
best  hold  was  by  the  long  hair  on  their  heads.  Thus 
we  shipped  five  savages  and  two  canoes,  with  all 
their  bows  and  arrows." 

This  was  the  return  they  made  for  all  the  con- 
fiding kindness  and  hospitality  of  these  "  savages." 
Savages  indeed  there  were  ;  but  in  this  case,  as  in  so 
many  others,  they  were  not  the  red  men  ! 

In  1614  one  Thomas  Hunt,  master  of  a  vessel, 
kidnapped  twenty  Indians  at  Plymouth  and  seven 
at  Cape  Cod,  whom  he  carried  to  Spain  and  sold  as 
slaves. 

Thus  we  see  that  nearly  every  expedition  visiting 
their  country  returned  the  kindness  and  hospitality 
of  the  Indians  by  kidnapping  some  of  their  number 
and  carrying  them  away  from  their  kinsmen  and 
native  land,  to  suffer  and  die  among  strangers,  as 
prisoners  or  as  slaves.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  their 
race,  proud  and  unforgetting,  should  eventually  turn 
upon  their  wanton  persecutors  to  wreak  vengeance 
for  the  wrongs  they  had  suffered  ? 

Many  attempts  had  been  made  to  plant  colonies 
in  the  New  World,  but  the  permanent  settlement  of 
this  part  of  the  country  began  with  the  Puritans, 


And  Her  People. 


who  arrived  off  Plymouth,  Massachusetts  Bay,  on 
the  eleventh  day  of  November,  1620,  and  made  a 
landing  for  permanent  settlement  on  December  22d. 
They  found  the  Indians  a  peaceful  and  well  disposed 
people,  willing  to  aid  and  succor  the  new-comers  to 
the  extent  of  their  ability,  but  shy  and  timid. 

The  Puritans  numbered  one  hundred  men,  women, 
and  children,  out  of  which  number  fifty-one  died 
during  the  first  winter.  Had  the  Indians  been  other- 
wise than  friendly,  they  could  have  destroyed  the 
little  band  of  forty-nine  very  easily.  But  instead  of 
offering  them  harm,  Massasoit,  the  chief  of  the 
Wampanoags,  in  whose  country  the  whites  had 
settled,  came  voluntarily  and  made  a  treaty  of  peace 
with  them,  which  this  tribe  kept  sacred  and  inviolate 
for  fifty-four  years. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  America  was  in- 
habited by  a  great  number  of  different  tribes  or 
nations  of  Indians  (since  ascertained  to  have  been 
over  four  hundred),  each  tribe  having  a  different 
name  and  language,  and  living  entirely  distinct  and 
separate  from  the  others,  and  not  infrequently 
waging  war,  at  the  end  of  which  the  victors  always 
laid  the  vanquished  tribe  under  immediate  tribute  ; 
so  that  while  one  tribe  was  peaceful,  another  might 
be  disposed  to  go  on  the  war-path. 

The  Narragansetts  (which,  judging  from  their 
position  on  the  coast,  was  the  tribe  from  which  Way- 
mouth  had  captured  his  five  "  savages  ")  felt  un- 
friendly, and  one  day  their  chief  sent  a  bunch  of 
newly  made  arrows,  wrapped  in  a  snake's  skin,  to 


8  Wah-kee-nah 


the  Puritan  settlement.  This  was  a  notice  of  declara- 
tion of  war.  Although  the  Puritans  had  previous 
to  this  been  reinforced  to  some  extent  by  the 
arrival  of  a  ship  from  England,  they  could  not  muster 
more  than  forty  or  fifty  fighting  men.  But  to  show 
fear,  meant  annihilation  for  the  entire  settlement ;  so 
they  filled  the  snake's  skin  with  powder  and  bullets, 
and  returned  it  to  the  chief  with  this  message  :  "  If 
you  want  war,  you  may  come  whenever  you  like, 
and  get  your  fill  of  it."  The  Indians  were  very 
much  afraid  of  the  "  pooh-guns  that  smoke,"  as  they 
called  the  muskets,  and  when  the  Narragansett  chief 
saw  that  the  "  pale-faces "  were  not  afraid,  but 
showed  fight,  his  respect  for  the  "  pooh-guns " 
deterred  him  from  beginning  the  war. 

In  1633,  the  whites  had  begun  to  enlarge  the 
bounds  of  their  settlements,  and  some  had  gone  as 
far  south  and  west  as  the  Connecticut  River,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  one  hundred  miles.  Here  they  found 
beautiful  and  exceedingly  fertile  lands,  occupied  by 
the  Pequots.  They  wanted  them  ;  and  that  seemed 
sufficient  reason  for  taking  any  means  necessary  to 
get  them. 

In  that  year,  the  governor  of  Plymouth  Colony, 
having  heard  these  reports,  sent  a  committee  to  ex- 
amine the  Connecticut  River  and  its  banks.  This 
committee  reported  that  the  land  was  partially 
cleared  and  under  cultivation  by  the  Indians ;  that 
the  streams  abounded  in  fish,  and  the  forests  in  game  ; 
that  the  fox,  otter,  beaver,  wolf,  bear,  deer,  and 
moose,  with  many  other  wild  animals,  held  possession 


And  Her  People. 


of  the  territory  in  common  with  the  Indians ;  that 
immense  flocks  of  pigeons  tenanted  the  woods,  and 
innumerable  water-fowl  the  streams.  After  describ- 
ing the  character  of  the  soil,  timber,  etc.,  they  say : 

"  Providence  led  us  to  that  place.  It  is  indeed 
far  away  from  our  plantations,  and  the  Canaanites 
and  the  Amalekites  dwell  in  that  valley,  and  if  they 
have  any  attachment  to  any  spot  on  earth,  must  de- 
light to  live  there.  But  the  land  must  be  ours.  Our 
people  have  strong  hands  and  pious  hearts,  and  can 
overcome  all  difficulties.  Let  us  go  and  possess  the 
land,  and  in  a  few  years  you  will  hear  more  boast  in 
this  colony,  that  that  land  is  better  for  flocks  and 
herds  than  could  ever  be  justly  said  of  the  land  of 
Goshen,  or  any  part  of  the  land  of  Canaan." 

A  short  time  after  the  reception  of  this  glowing 
report,  these  men  with  "  pious  hearts  "  mustered  all 
their  forces,  stealthily  surrounded  a  large  village  of 
the  Pequots,  and  surprised  and  completely  massacred 
them  in  one  night.  The  whites  had  it  all  their  own 
way,  and,  when  the  morning  broke,  rejoiced  their 
"  pious  hearts  "  in  counting  six  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  Indian  men,  women,  and  children  weltering  in 
their  own  blood. 

This  inhuman  butchery  so  overawed  the  Indians, 
who  had  never  known  or  dreamed  of  such  fearful 
slaughter,  that  for  many  years  no  one  of  them  dared 
lift  his  hand  against  a  white  man,  no  matter  what  the 
provocation  might  be  ;  and  these  men,  who  left  the 
persecutions  of  the  Old  World  that  they  might  enjoy 
liberty  of  conscience,  had  no  further  trouble  in  settling 


io  Wah-kee-nah 


upon  the  beautiful  lands  of  the  Pequots,  without 
money  and  without  price. 

The  Indians  were  denounced  as  cruel  savages,  but 
Mr.  Willard,  of  Deerfield,  Massachusetts,  who  wrote 
in  1 790,  says  : 

*•'  The  Indians  committed  no  offences  without 
provocation,  their  offences  were  always  in  retalia- 
tion ;  and  in  comparison  with  the  long  black  cata- 
logue of  crimes  committed  in  Christian  nations,  but 
few  are  found  to  occur  among  Indians.  Is  ingratitude 
among  the  number  of  their  sins  ?  The  most  eminent 
and  glorious  examples  of  the  opposite  are  on  record. 
Did  Indians  ever  sell  wooden  nutmegs  and  cucumber 
seeds,  horn  flints,  or  imitation  powder?  Did  the 
Indians  ever  hang  a  poor  Mrs.  Richardson,  simply 
because  she  was  a  Quaker  and  differed  from  them  in 
religious  belief? 

"  The  Pilgrim  fathers  were  stern  and  hardy  men, 
upon  whose  character  so  many  of  us  delight  to  dwell, 
but  that  character  suffers  in  some  respects  by  a  com- 
parison with  that  of  the  sons  of  the  forest,  who  had 
only  the  light  of  nature  to  guide  them. 

"  Time  has  shown  us  that  the  longer  the  Indians 
reside  in  the  vicinity  of  white  men,  the  more  vicious 
and  corrupt  they  become,  and  that  they  were  always 
the  objects  or  subjects  of  the  white  man's  fraud  and 
imposition,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  more 
acts  of  cruelty  have  been  committed  on  this  conti- 
nent by  the  Spanish,  French,  and  English,  or  by 
their  instigation,  than  by  the  natives." 

It  may  perhaps  be  said  that  the  end  to  be  attained 
justified  this  wholesale  destruction  of  the  Indians; 


And  Her  People.  1 1 

that  it  is  better  for  the  world  to  have  civilization 
progress,  even  though  it  be  by  the  annihilation  of 
uncivilized  races.  But  we  must  remember  that  in 
judging  Indian  character,  and  as  to  whether  they 
were  justified  in  acting  as  they  haye  acted,  we  should 
look  at  all  the  events  touching  them  through  their 
eyes — from  their  point  of  view,  not  ours. 

In  1660  Wamsutta,  the  successor  of  Massasoit,  the 
chief  of.  the  Wampanoags,  came  into  power,  and, 
while  returning  to  his  home  after  a  visit  to  the 
whites,  and  before  he  had  left  their  settlements, 
sickened  and  died.  His  brother,  Metacom,  whom 
the  whites  called  "  King  Philip,"  succeeded  him  as 
chief.  King  Philip  was  of  the  opinion  that  his 
brother  had  been  poisoned,  and  this,  added  to  the 
wrongs  of  the  ever-increasing  encroachments  of 
the  whites  upon  his  lands,  made  him  resolve  upon 
revenge. 

Knowing  the  fate  of  the  Pequots,  and  that  his 
tribe  alone  could  not  successfully  fight  the  whites, 
he  prevailed  upon  some  of  the  surrounding  tribes  to 
make  common  cause  with  him,  and  when  he  thought 
the  confederacy  strong  enough  to  annihilate  the 
"  pale-faces,"  he  began  the  conflict  known  in  history 
as  "  king  Philip's  war,"  on  the  24th  day  of  June, 
1675.  This  war  resulted  in  serious  loss  to  the  whites, 
and,  as  ever,  great  slaughter  to  the  Indians — not  less 
than  a  thousand  of  the  Narragansetts  being  killed 
on  one  Sabbath  afternoon.  At  another  time,  three 
hundred  of  the  Nipmuck  tribe  were  surprised  near 
the  falls  of  the  Connecticut  River,  and  every  one 
killed.  In  the  same  year  Major  Talcott,  of  Hart- 


12  Wnh-kee-nah. 


ford,  massacred  four  hundred  at  one  time,  near  that 
place.  The  whites  adopted  the  rule  of  taking  no 
prisoners,  and  killed  every  man,  woman,  and  child 
that  fell  into  their  hands ;  King  Philip  was  shot  on 
the  1 2th  day  of  August,  1676,  and  "  his  severed  head 
sent  to  Plymouth,  where  it  was  mounted  on  a  pole 
and  exposed  aloft  on  the  village  green." 

This  ended  the  war,  and  many  Indians  came  in  and 
surrendered  themselves.  The  whites  seized  a  dozen 
of  the  chiefs  who  had  thus  surrendered,  and  hanged 
or  shot  them  in  the  presence  of  the  populace,  and 
shipped  hundreds  of  other  Indians  who  had  sur- 
rendered with  their  chiefs  to  the  West  Indies  to  be 
sold  into  slavery,  among  the  latter  being  the  wife  and 
little  nine-year-old  son  of  King  Philip. 

Professor  John  Fiske  says  :  "  While  King  Philip's 
war  wrought  such  damage  to  the  English,  it  was  for 
the  Indians  themselves  utter  destruction.  Most  of 
their  warriors  were  slain,  and  to  the  survivors  the 
conquerors  showed  scant  mercy.  The  Puritan,  who 
conned  his  Bible  so  earnestly,  had  taken  his  hint 
from  the  wars  of  the  Jews,  and  swept  his  New  Eng- 
land Canaan  with  a  broom  that  was  pitiless  and 
searching.  Henceforth  the  red  man  figures  no  more 
in  central  or  southern  New  England,  and  as  an  ele- 
ment of  disturbance  or  a  power  to  be  reckoned  with, 
he  disappears  forever." 

In  the  South  and  West,  however,  the  Indians  still 
existed  in  great  numbers.  Let  us,  then,  turn  our 
attention  in  that  direction,  and  see  if  they  were  re- 
ceiving any  kindlier  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the 
white  settlers  there, 


CHAPTER   II. 

IN  1584  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  fitted  out  two  vessels 
and  sent  them  to  the  New  World.  They  landed 
at  the  Roanoke  River,  in  Virginia,  and  after  en- 
gaging in  profitable  trade  with  the  Indians  returned 
to  England,  reporting  that  they  "  found  the  native 
Indians  so  affable,  kind,  and  good-natured,  so  inno- 
cent and  ignorant  of  all  manner  of  politics,  tricks, 
and  cunning,  and  so  desirous  of  the  company  of  the 
English,  that  they  seem  rather  to  be  like  soft  wax, 
ready  to  take  an  impression,  than  anyways  likely  to 
oppose  the  settling  of  the  English  near  them." 

They  did  not,  however,  continue  in  this  condition 
for  any  great  length  of  time. 

One  of  the  most  prolific  sources  of  trouble  be- 
tween the  Indians  and  the  whites,  pertaining  to  all 
the  settlements  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  was  the 
abuse  by  the  white  men  of  the  native  women.  Be- 
fore the  advent  of  the  whites,  an  Indian  woman 
could  roam  the  woods  day  or  night  with  entire  safety 
and  freedom  from  molestation  by  any  man.  These 
women  were  comely  in  form  and  feature,  and  seemed 
to  be  very  attractive  to  the  white  men  ;  and  they 
were  frequently  abused,  even  to  the  extent  of  kid- 


14  Wah-kee-nah 


napping  and  keeping  them  in  the  settlements.  This 
led  to  many  murders  ;  for  if  an  Indian's  wife  or 
daughter  was  thus  outraged  and  in  revenge  therefor 
he  killed  a  white  man,  the  whites  would  in  retalia- 
tion kill  one  or  more  Indians,  to  impress  upon  the 
natives  the  idea  that  they  could  never  kill  a  white 
man  without  suffering  retaliation  in  kind,  regardless 
of  the  provocation  that  caused  them  to  do  so.  The 
insults  to  the  Indians  were  never  taken  into  considera- 
tion. These  acts  were  followed  by  their  natural 
consequence — an  inveterate  hatred  on  the  part  of 
the  Indians,  leading  to  murder  Whenever  opportunity 
offered — so  that  when  a  white  man  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Indians  he  seldom  escaped  death. 

One  notable  case  of  deliverance  from  death,  which 
has  been  described  in  prose  and  sung  in  poetry, 
wherever  the  history  of  Virginia  has  been  told,  was 
that  of  Captain  John  Smith,  one  of  the  leading  men 
of  that  colony.  He  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and 
courage,  and  possessed  a  spirit  of  adventure  seldom 
excelled. 

Not  satisfied  with  remaining  at  the  settlement,  he 
pushed  on  into  the  interior.  This  alarmed  the  In- 
dians, giving  them  the  impression  that  the  whites 
were  seeking  to  overrun  their  entire  country.  He 
was  attacked  and  all  his  men  were  killed,  he  alone 
being  taken  a  prisoner  to  Powhatan,  who  was  the 
great  head  chief  of  all  that  section.  Powhatan  had 
heard  of  Captain  Smith,  and  knew  he  was  one  of  the 
great  chiefs  of  the  "  pale-faces,"  so  he  was  at  a  loss 
to  know  what  to  do  with  him,  having  a  fear  that  if 


And  Her  People.  1 5 

he  put  him  to  death  the  whites  would  wreak  terrible 
vengeance  upon  his  nation.  He  therefore  kept  him 
a  prisoner  for  six  weeks,  treating  him  with  great 
kindness.  Finally,  however,  he  determined  that  the 
captive  must  die,  and  gave  his  orders  to  that  effect. 
Two  of  the  warriors  bound  the  prisoner's  hands  and 
feet  and  laid  his  head  upon  the  rock.  At  a  signal 
from  the  chief,  two  other  warriors,  each  armed  with 
the  deadly  war-club,  stepped  forward  and  stood 
grim  and  still  at  the  head  of  the  prostrate  victim, 
awaiting  the  signal  to  deal  the  fatal  blow. 

At  this  moment  a  wild  scream  pierced  the  air,  and 
Pocahontas,  the  beautiful  daughter  of  Powhatan,  a 
girl  of  thirteen  years,  flew  to  the  captive,  threw  her- 
self upon  his  prostrate  form,  and,  staying  the  arm  of 
one  of  the  wrarriors  with  her  own,  laid  her  head  upon 
that  of  the  prisoner,  so  that  if  the  blow  fell  it  must 
be  upon  her  own  head. 

Powhatan  was  dumbfounded.  He  dearly  loved 
his  little  daughter ;  but  he  was  a  great  chief,  and  his 
orders  must  be  obeyed.  After  a  moment's  hesitation 
he  took  her  by  the  hand  and  raised  her  to  her  feet, 
when,  with  tearful  eyes,  she  implored  her  chieftain 
father  to  spare  the  captive's  life.  Her  plea  was 
most  eloquent,  and  Powhatan  listened  in  mute 
astonishment.  When  it  was  finished,  and  while  the 
sobbing  girl  was  clinging  to  his  knee,  her  streaming 
eyes  fixed  on  his,  the  chief  gave  the  order  to  unbind 
the  captive  and  return  him  to  his  people. 

Pocahontas  always  remained  a  true  friend  of  the 
"  pale-faces,"  and  twice,  while  yet  in  her  "  teens,"  she 


1 6  Wah-kee-nah 


stealthily  informed  the  whites  of  attacks  contem- 
plated by  the  Indians,  thus  saving  many  lives. 

The  whites  returned  these  acts  of  kindness  by  kid- 
napping her  when  she  was  about  eighteen  years  old, 
and  carrying  her  a  prisoner  to  the  settlement,  where 
they  kept  her  for  two  years,  while  they  were  endeav- 
oring to  make  a  treaty  of  peace  with  her  father, 
thinking  he  would  the  more  readily  yield  to  their 
demands  if  they  held  his  daughter  in  their  power. 

During  this  time  Pocahontas,  who  had  now  be- 
come a  beautiful  woman,  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Mr.  John  Rolfe,  an  English  gentleman  of  some 
wealth  and  position,  and  became  engaged  to  marry 
him.  Powhatan  being  informed  of  these  facts  vouch- 
safed his  consent,  and  upon  their  marriage  concluded 
a  peace,  although  declining  to  attend  the  wedding 
for  fear  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  whites.  Mr. 
Rolfe  took  his  Indian  bride  to  England,  and  Cap- 
tain Smith,  in  a  letter  to  Queen  Anne,  made  known 
the  leading  events  in  her  life,  and  the  Queen  received 
her  at  court  with  all  the  honor  due  to  the  daughter 
of  a  king.  After  remaining  for  some  time  she  started 
to  return  with  her  husband  to  her  native  land,  but 
sickened  and  died  before  leaving  England,  at  the 
early  age  of  twenty-three. 

The  death  of  Pocahontas  was  a  sad  disappoint- 
ment to  the  colonists,  who  had  indulged  the  hope 
that  her  marriage  with  one  of  their  leading  men 
would  secure  a  lasting  peace  with  the  Indians.  Their 
disappointment  was  also  accompanied  by  a  fear  that 
the  Indians  would  seek  to  retaliate  upon  them  for 


And  Her  People.  1 7 

her  death,  under  the  suspicion  that  she  had  been 
poisoned,  a  suspicion  that  the  Indians  always  enter- 
tained when  any  of  their  people  died  suddenly  while 
visiting  the  whites. 

But  it  was  of  no  poison  known  to  the  toxicologist 
that  Pocahontas  died.  This  royal  daughter  of  the 
forest  had  loved  Captain  Smith  ever  since  in  her 
girlhood  she  had  laid  her  head  upon  his  to  save  him 
from  death. 

Her  engagement  and  marriage  to  Rolfe  were  con- 
tracted in  the  belief  that  the  man  she  loved  and 
by  whom  she  was  beloved,  was  dead,  and  it  was  only 
during  her  visit  to  England  that  she  learned  that 
she  had  been  deceived.  The  poison  which  ended  her 
young  life  was  that  which  comes  of  a  broken  heart. 

In  the  parish  register  at  Gravesend,  where  she 
died,  may  be  seen  the  following  entry : 

"  1616,  May  21,  Rebecca  Wrothe,  Wyff  of  Thomas 
Wroth  gent,  a  Virginia  lady  borne,  here  was  buried, 
in  ye  chancell." 

Pocahontas  had  been  baptized  and  given  the  name 
of  Rebecca. 

The  selfish  fears  of  the  colonists  were  groundless, 
however.  The  Indians  kept  the  faith,  and  abstained 
from  all  hostilities  for  many  years. 

Several  attempts  were  made  to  plant  colonies  in 
Pennsylvania;  one  by  the  Hollanders,  or  Dutch,  in 
1631;  one  by  the  Swedes  in  1638;  another  by  the 
Dutch  in  1645  ;  and  finally  the  English  succeeded  in 
permanently  establishing  one  in  1664. 

The  Dutch  settlement  on  the  Delaware,  called  by 


1 8  Wah-kee-nah 


them  the  "  Valley  of  the  Swans,"  was  burned  by  the 
Indians.  The  cause  of  its  destruction  was  peculiar. 
The  arms  of  Holland  painted  on  a  piece  of  tin  had 
been  set  up  by  the  colonists.  The  glitter  of  this  rude 
escutcheon  had  attracted  the  attention  of  an  Indian 
chief,  who,  in  his  ignorance,  took  it  to  make  a  tobacco 
box.  This  act  the  settlers  construed  as  an  insult  to 
their  native  country,  and  sought  out  and  killed  the 
offending  chief.  The  honor  of  their  country  was 
vindicated,  but  the  vindication  proved  most  costly. 
The  friends  of  the  murdered  chief  watched  for  their 
opportunity  and  gained  possession  of  the  fort  by 
despatching  the  guard  while  the  settlers  were  absent 
at  work.  Upon  the  return  of  the  unsuspecting  whites 
in  the  evening,  they  were  all  massacred,  and  the 
buildings  were  burned. 

When  William  Penn  became  the  leading  spirit  of 
the  English  colony  in  1683,  he  adopted  a  new  policy 
in  dealing  with  the  Indians,  which  culminated  in  "  the 
famous  treaty  that  was  never  sworn  to  and  never 
broken."  By  his  policy  the  rights  of  the  Indians 
were  considered  and  respected,  and  by  reason  of  his 
wisdom  and  honesty  the  people  of  Pennsylvania 
enjoyed  unbroken  peace  for  many  years. 

In  writing  home,  Governor  Penn  said  :  "  We  have 
agreed  that  in  all  differences  between  the  colonists 
and  the  Indians,  six  of  each  side  shall  end  the  mat- 
ter. Do  not  abuse  them,  but  let  them  have  justice, 
and  you  win  them." 

This  is  the  only  instance  we  have  on  record  in 
which  the  Indians  were  treated  squarely  and  hon- 


And  Her  People.  i 9 

estly  by  the  colonists ;  and  it  furnishes  a  practical 
illustration  of  what  might  have  been  expected  of 
them  had  they  been  thus  treated  in  all  cases. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  adduce  further  testimony  as  to 
the  disposition  of  the  native  Indians  when  the  white 
man  first  came  to  settle  among  them.  We  have  seen 
how  Columbus  found  them  in  the  West  Indies,  how 
the  Puritans  found  them  in  New  England,  and  how 
the  other  English  settlers  found  them  in  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania.  All  concur  that  they  were  kind 
and  peaceable,  and  disposed  to  be  friendly  with  their 
visitors.  We  have  seen  that  in  New  England  it  took 
but  a  few  years  of  association  with  the  Puritans  to 
change  their  character  entirely;  that  in  Virginia 
wholesale  massacres  began  after  a  contact  of  only 
twenty-six  years ;  while  in  Pennsylvania  all  troubles 
ceased  entirely  after  the  just  policy  of  Governor 
Penn  was  adopted.  Is  it  possible  for  any  doubt  to 
exist  as  to  where  the  responsibility  lies  for  the 
change  that  has  taken  place  in  the  character  of 
the  American  Indians,  and  can  we  wonder  at  the 
change  ? 

In  1608,  which  precedes  by  twelve  years  the  set- 
tlement in  New  England  of  which  we  have  spoken, 
Henry  Hudson  discovered  the  river  which  bears  his 
name  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
sailed  up  as  far  as  the  forty-third  parallel  of  north 
latitude.  He  sold  this  country,  or  such  right  as  he 
had  acquired  in  it,  to  the  Hollanders,  or  Dutch,  who 
in  1614  built  a  fort  on  the  river,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-five  miles  above  its  mouth,  at  Albany,  and  an- 


IVah-kee-nah 


other  on  the  island  of  Manhattan.  The  latter  settle- 
ment, called  by  them  New  Amsterdam,  is  now  the 
city  of  New  York,  the  metropolis  of  the  American 
continent.  There  was  great  controversy  and  some 
righting  over  this  country  between  the  Dutch  and 
the  English,  but  it  finally  came  permanently  into  the 
possession  of  the  English. 

They  found  the  country  thickly  inhabited  by  In- 
dians who  constituted  the  Iroquois  Confederacy, 
composed  of  five  distinct  nations  or  tribes.  These 
were  the  Mohawks,  the  Oneidas,  the  Onondagas, 
the  Cayugas,  and  the  Senecas.  At  first  the  Indians 
treated  the  white  settlers  with  great  kindness,  but  in 
a  few  years  troubles  began  between  them  similar  to 
those  which  took  place  between  the  Puritans  and 
the  Indians  in  New  England,  and  arising  from  like 
causes. 

The  Iroquois  were  very  powerful,  and  were  more 
advanced  in  civilization,  if  we  may  use  that  term, 
than  the  tribes  around  them.  They  had  almost  a 
perfect  form  of  republican  government,  and  exercised 
through  their  confederacy  so  much  power  as  to  hold 
many  of  the  surrounding  nations  under  tribute.  They 
controlled  a  vast  territory,  and  much  of  it  was  con- 
sequently at  a  great  distance  from  their  seat  of  gov- 
ernment. In  1647  they  could  muster  many  thousand 
warriors,  well  armed  and  equipped. 

I  have  lived  near  them  many  years,  and  have  be- 
come familiar  with  and  carefully  collated  and  studied 
their  ancient  legends  ;  and  in  this  way  I  have  ac- 
quainted myself  with  much  relating  to  their  history 


And  Her  People.  2  \ 

and  personal  life  that  has  not  heretofore  been 
written. 

The  confederacy  now  under  consideration  was 
called  by  the  French  "  The  Iroquois."  The  English 
knew  it  as  "  The  Six  Nations,"  the  number  of  tribes 
having  been  increased  by  the  coming  in  of  the  Tus- 
caroras,  in  1715.  They  called  themselves  Ho-de-no- 
sau-nee,  that  is,  "  People  of  the  Long  House,"  of 
which  the  Mohawks  guarded  the  eastern  and  the 
Senecas  the  western  door. 

I  have  said  that  their  ancient  government  was  re- 
publican, in  form  and  principle.  There  was  a  gen- 
eral council  composed  of  representatives  from  the 
different  tribes  in  the  confederacy,  the  number  from 
each  tribe  being  fixed  in  accordance  with  the  number 
of  persons  therein,  counting  both  men  and  women. 
The  Mohawks  had  nine,  the  Oneidas  nine,  the  Onon- 
dagas  fourteen,  the  Cayugas  ten,  and  the  Senecas 
eight,  making  a  council  of  fifty. 

The  government  I  am  describing  was  that  which 
existed  prior  to  the  Tuscaroras  being  admitted  into 
the  confederacy.  These  representatives  were  elected 
by  the  viva  voce  votes  of  both  the  men  and  the 
women  of  the  tribe  that  sent  them,  and  were  always 
selected  indiscriminately  from  among  the  sachems 
and  chiefs  of  the  tribe.  The  women  were  entitled 
to  vote  upon  the  election  of  all  officers. 

This  council  elected  a  sachem  as  presiding  officer, 
who  thus  became  the  head  sachem  of  the  entire 
confederacy.  The  laws  made  by  the  general  coun- 
cil constituted  the  supreme  code  by  which  the 


22  Wah-kee-nah 


confederacy  was  governed.  In  their  own  tribe,  the 
chiefs  chosen  as  representatives  to  the  general 
council  constituted,  with  the  other  chiefs  of  the 
tribe,  the  national  or  tribal  council,  and  their  presid- 
ing chief  was  the  head  chief  of  the  tribe.  All  the 
sachems  and  chiefs  held  their  offices  during  life  or 
good  behavior.  There  were  many  other  chiefs  be- 
sides those  mentioned.  Each  tribe  was  divided  into 
eight  clans,  each  clan  having  two  head  officers,  a 
sachem  and  a  chief,  who  constituted  the  medium 
through  which  all  laws  and  orders  were  conveyed  to 
the  people,  so  that  each  tribe  always  had  eight 
sachems  and  eight  chiefs.  The  clans  were  named 
alike  in  every  tribe  respectively,  Wolf,  Beaver,  Snipe, 
Hawk,  Bear,  Turtle,  Deer,  and  Heron,  and  a  picture 
or  other  representation  of  the  animal  or  bird  for 
which  it  was  named  was  the  "  totem  "  of  the  clan. 

It  was  the  duty  of  the  sachem  to  look  after  all 
matters  pertaining  to  the  state  ;  while  the  chief  was 
supreme  in  time  of  war.  In  rare  instances,  by  reason 
of  great  merit,  both  these  offices  were  conferred  upon 
one  individual.  But  if  a  sachem  took  the  war-path, 
he  must  resign  his  sachemship  for  the  time  being. 

Where,  even  in  these  days  of  advanced  civilization, 
will  we  find  a  higher  or  better  type  of  representative 
government  than  that  of  the  ancient  Iroquois? 
Among  them  there  was  no  periodic  scramble  for 
office;  no  dividing  of  political  spoils  among  the 
wire-pullers  and  "  workers  "  of  the  successful  party. 
Birth  gave  an  advantage,  but  merit  was  the  only 
consideration  that  secured  the  chieftaincies.  It  seems 


And  Her  People.  23 

to  me  that  some  enlightened  republics  of  to-day 
might  well  take  a  lesson  in  pure  government  from 
these  untutored  "  savages." 

The  Iroquois  had  no  written  language,  but  passed 
their  history,  etc.,  from  generation  to  generation  by 
memorized  tradition.  They  had  a  system  of 
mnemonics  to  assist  them  in  this.  Every  great 
event,  in  fact  everything  they  thought  of  sufficient 
importance  to  remember,  was  associated  with  a  belt 
or  string  of  "  wampum,"  and,  strange  as  it  may  ap- 
pear, they  could,  by  looking  at  such  a  belt,  rehearse 
with  accuracy  everything  that  occurred  at  the  time 
that  belt  was  first  put  into  use.  These  wampum 
belts  were  made  in  different  widths.  Small  shells 
were  strung  on  strings  of  deer  skin  or  sinew,  and  the 
strings  woven  together.  The  shells  were  of  various 
colors,  and  their  shade  and  position  in  the  belt 
served  to  convey  to  the  mind  the  ideas  with  which 
they  were  associated. 

These  tribes  had  made  some  progress  in  agricul- 
ture. The  journal  of  De  Nonville,  who  commanded 
a  French  expedition  against  the  Iroquois  in  1687, 
speaks  of  large  villages,  especially  among  the  Sene- 
cas.  He  counted  three  hundred  and  twenty-four 
houses  in  four  villages,  and  destroyed  one  million 
two  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  corn,  besides  great 
quantities  of  beans,  squashes,  and  other  vegetables, 
in  these  four  villages  alone. 

The  Onondagas,  being  near  the  centre  of  the  con- 
federacy, or  "  Long  House,"  were  the  council-fire 
keepers,  as  well  as  the  custodians  of  the  record  belts 


24  Wah-kee-nah 


of  wampum.  It  was  in  their  domain  that  the 
general  councils  were  always  held. 

Although  the  tribes  composing  the  confederacy 
covered  a  vast  territory,  the  members  of  the  council 
could  be  reached  very  quickly  by  means  of  a  system 
of  very  fleet  "  runners,"  of  great  endurance.  The 
trails  of  these  runners  through  the  forests  were 
always  most  direct ;  and  as  the  swift  messengers 
were  simultaneously  despatched  in  all  directions, 
only  a  very  short  time  was  required  to  convene  a 
council. 

The  first  thing  in  order  at  a  council  was  to  smoke 
the  "  calumet,"  or  pipe  of  peace.  This  practice  was 
symbolic  among  all  the  tribes  upon  the  continent. 
It  was  a  sign  of  friendship,  and  constituted  a  mutual 
pledge  of  amity.  The  bowl  of  the  pipe  was  usually 
made  of  stone  finely  wrought,  the  stem  was  two  and 
a  half  feet  in  length,  made  of  some  strong  reed  and 
decorated  profusely  with  feathers  and  shells.  The 
ceremony  was  opened  by  the  head  sachem,  who 
took  a  few  whiffs  and  then  passed  the  pipe  to  the 
person  next  to  him  upon  his  left,  who,  after  taking 
a  few  whiffs,  passed  it  to  the  next  upon  his  left,  and 
so  on  around  the  circle,  until  it  again  came  to  the 
head  sachem,  who  then  quietly  placed  it  upon  the 
ground  at  his  right  side.  If  any  one  refused  the 
calumet,  his  action  demanded  immediate  explana- 
tion. 

Councils  were  sometimes  held  in  the  special  in- 
terests of  the  women  of  the  confederacy.  The 
women  were  the  workers,  who  tilled  the  soil,  dressed 


And  Her  People.  2  5 

the  skins,  wove  the  wampum  belts,  and  did  all  the 
household  labor,  but  they  were  well  treated.  They 
had  a  voice  in  the  choice  of  sachems  and  chiefs, 
and  of  themselves  elected  officers  who  were  denomi- 
nated "  Women's  Men,"  and  whose  duty  was  to 
look  after  and  protect  the  interests  of  the  women. 
If  they  desired  to  have  any  matter  considered,  they 
could  call  a  council  of  their  clan,  and,  if  it  was  a 
matter  of  general  interest,  then  a  council  of  their 
tribe  or  nation  ;  and  in  case  the  opinion  of  the  women 
of  the  other  nations  of  the  confederacy  was  deemed 
necessary,  a  general  council  was  called  to  attend  to 
their  interests,  as  readily  and  quite  as  much  as  a 
matter  of  course  as  one  for  the  consideration  of 
matters  in  which  the  men  were  specially  concerned. 

The  women  were  never  admitted  to  the  councils 
of  the  men,  but  in  the  councils  for  the  women  they 
were  not  only  admitted,  but  called  upon  to  represent 
their  grievance,  or  to  speak  upon  whatever  subject 
the  council  had  been  called  to  consider.  The  men, 
however,  decided  the  matter  by  a  vote  among  them- 
selves. 

Marriages  among  the  Iroquois  were  not  always 
based  upon  affairs  of  the  heart.  There  was  a  law 
among  them  inhibiting  marriages  between  members 
of  the  same  clan.  Such  were  regarded  as  brothers 
and  sisters,  even  though  no  blood  relationship  sub- 
sisted between  them.  The  mothers  were  the  "  match- 
makers," and  sometimes  acted  without  the  slightest 
regard  for  the  feelings  of  those  most  interested, 
though  the  maiden  was  usually  consulted. 


26  Wah-kee-nah 


When  a  young  man  or  maiden  wished  to  marry, 
or  when  a  mother  desired  a  marriage  for  her  son  or 
daughter,  the  grandmother,  if  living,  or,  if  not,  the 
mother  (or,  when  there  was  no  grandmother  or 
mother,  the  eldest  female  relative  upon  the  mother's 
side),  made  the  proposition  by  leaving  a  present  in 
a  basket  at  the  door  of  the  wigwam  where  the  young 
man  or  maiden  (whichever  was  to  be  wooed)  resided. 
This  gave  notice  to  all  that  a  marriage  was  con- 
templated. The  relatives  of  a  maiden  could  make 
the  proposition  to  the  mother  of  the  desired  young 
man  with  as  much  propriety  as  those  of  a  young 
man  to  the  mother  of  the  maiden.  If  the  proposi- 
tion was  agreeable,  the  basket  was  taken  into  the 
wigwam,  and  if  its  contents  proved  acceptable  it 
was  returned  with  a  present,  which  action  left  the 
way  open  for  further  negotiations.  But  if  the  pro- 
posal was  rejected,  the  basket  would  be  left  un- 
touched, to  be  carried  away  by  the  one  who  brought 
it.  This  was  a  flat  refusal.  After  the  acceptance  of 
the  first  present,  the  negotiator  took  a  second  of 
greater  value,  and  entered  the  lodge  herself  and  con- 
sulted with  the  women  of  the  family  with  whom  she 
sought  an  alliance.  If  all  were  in  favor  of  the  mar- 
riage, each  family  informed  the  son  or  daughter; 
after  which  a  meeting  of  the  women  was  arranged  at 
which  the  young  man  and  maiden  would  be  present, 
and  listen  to  serious  advice  concerning  the  respective 
duties  of  husband  and  wife. 

The  final  ceremony  of  marriage  was  quite  simple. 
A  seat  having  been  prepared  in  the  wigwam  of  the 


And  Her  People.  2  7 

bridegroom,  the  friends  of  the  young  people  joined 
in  a  march  from  the  house  of  the  bride  to  that  of 
the  groom,  and  having  arrived  there  the  bride  and 
groom,  in  presence  of  all  the  company,  joined  hands 
and  seated  themselves.  This  ended  the  ceremony. 

In  the  case  of  second  marriage  the  parties  were  at 
liberty  to  negotiate  for  themselves. 

The  fathers  had  no  actual  ownership  of  the  chil- 
dren ;  these  belonged  to  the  clan  and  tribe  of  the 
mother.  If  a  marriage  proved  unhappy  the  parties 
to  it  were  permitted  by  custom  to  separate  at  will 
and  each  was  at  liberty  to  marry  again,  but  the 
mother  had  the  sole  right  to  the  disposal  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  kept  them  all  if  she  chose.  She  retained 
control  also  of  whatever  property  belonged  to  her  at 
the  time  of  her  marriage,  and  could  dispose  of  it  as 
she  pleased  without  the  husband's  consent,  either 
while  living  with  him  as  wife  or  after  separation. 

As  in  other  Indian  tribes,  the  Iroquois  man  could 
have  more  than  one  wife  if  he  pleased,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  ease  with  which  any  marriage  compact 
could  be  dissolved,  this  seldom  happened.  The  In- 
dian who  valued  the  peace  of  his  household  knew 
better  than  to  jeopardize  it  by  the  presence  of  two 
or  more  women  standing  in  the  same  relation  to 
him,  and  felt  that  his  chance  of  comfort  and  happi- 
ness was  far  better  with  one  at  a  time,  in  which  he 
doubtless  displayed  much  wisdom. 

A  missionary  was  once  talking  to  one  of  these  In- 
dians in  regard  to  the  sin  of  such  easy  separation, 
and  received  from  him  this  sententious  reply  :  "  You 


28 


Wah-kee-nah 


marry  white  woman  ;  she  know  you  have  to  keep 
her  always,  so  she  scold,  scold,  scold,  and  no  cook 
your  venison  ;  I  marry  squaw  ;  she  know  I  leave  her 
if  she  no  good,  so  she  no  scold,  she  cook  my  veni- 
son, and  we  live  long  happy  together."  It  was  his 
way  of  saying  that  the  chain  galls  least  that  binds 
most  lightly. 

The  Indian  women  were  very  affectionate — much 
more  so  apparently  than  the  men.  There  is  nothing 
an  Iroquois  mother  would  not  do  for  her  child,  even 
to  the  sacrifice  of  her  life  ;  and  when  she  loved  her 
husband,  she  would  do  anything  or  endure  anything 
for  him. 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE  Iroquois  were  very  fond  of  dancing,  always 
indulging  in  it   as  a  part  of   their  religious 
ceremonies,  as  well  as  upon  festival  occasions. 
Their  religious  dances  were  performed  with  slow  and 
solemn  tread,  while  their  festive  dances  were  in  light 
and  lively  measure. 

The  great  dance,  however,  which  called  forth  all 
the  energy,  endurance,  and  enthusiasm  of  the  per- 
formers, and  threw  them,  as  well  as  the  spectators, 
into  the  wildest  excitement,  was  the  war  dance. 
Every  Indian  nation  indulged  in  it,  but  nearly  every 
tribe  had  a  different  manner  of  executing  this  highly 
dramatic  performance.  That  of  the  Iroquois  gave 
free  license  to  each  individual  to  make  himself  as 
frightful  in  appearance  as  possible,  and  to  illustrate 
any  act  of  daring  that  might  be  conjured  in  his  ex- 
cited brain.  None  but  the  warriors  took  part  in  this 
dance,  and  each  dressed  himself  in  the  most  hideous 
costume  (principally /#/'#/)  that  his  fancy  could  de- 
vise, the  leading  idea  being  that  his  terrible  appear- 
ance in  battle  would  tend  to  fill  his  enemy  with 
dismay,  and  thus  make  victory  more  easy.  In  this 
we  see  a  close  resemblance  to  those  Old- World  war- 

29 


30  Wah-kee-nah 


riors  of  not  many  centuries  ago,  who  covered  their 
armor  with  the  skins  of  wild  beasts,  leaving  head 
and  ears  erect,  and  open  mouths  showing  savage 
teeth  to  terrify  the  foe.  The  Indian  added  to  this 
frightful  make-up  the  blood-curdling  war-whoop ; 
and  I  will  say,  having  had  some  experience  in  the 
matter,  that  if  there  is  any  sound  on  earth  that  will 
take  the  color  from  the  white  man's  cheek  quicker 
or  more  effectually  than  the  war-whoop  of  the 
Indian  breaking  upon  his  waking  ear,  I  have  yet  to 
hear  it. 

The  dance  itself  was  an  imitation  battle  ;  arrows 
flew  thick  and  fast ;  the  tomahawk  was  wildly  bran- 
dished on  high  to  imitate  its  deadly  work  ;  each 
scalp  suggested  the  death-struggle  with  its  original 
possessor,  and  that  struggle  was  all  gone  through 
with  again  in  pantomime.  By  the  effect  of  paint 
and  scalps,  the  battle-field  was  covered  with  the 
dead  and  dying  enemy.  When  the  warriors  had 
become  nearly  exhausted,  at  a  signal  from  the  chief 
the  war-whoop  was  changed  to  the  shout  of  victory, 
and  all  retired  to  partake  of  the  feast  prepared  by 
the  women  for  the  mimic  victors. 

The  Iroquois  disposed  of  their  dead  by  burial,  but 
not  until  the  body  had  lain  for  ten  days  upon  a 
raised  platform.  During  this  time  the  relatives  of 
the  deceased  kept  a  fire  burning  constantly  near  by 
and  kept  watch  over  the  body.  This  was  done  for 
two  reasons:  first,  that  no  one  should  be  buried 
alive  ;  and  second,  because  these  people  believed  that 
the  spirit  of  the  dead  hovered  around  the  body  for 


And  Her  People.  3 1 

ten  days  after  death,  before  taking  its  flight  to  the 
happy  hunting-grounds,  and  by  this  fire  and  constant 
watch  they  expressed  their  affection.  At  the  expi- 
ration of  the  ten  days,  the  body  was  buried.  If  it 
were  that  of  a  woman,  a  plentiful  supply  of  food  and 
all  her  kettles  and  cooking  utensils  were  put  into  the 
grave  ;  if  that  of  a  hunter,  his  bow  and  arrows ;  and 
if  that  of  a  warrior,  his  bow  and  arrows,  tomahawk, 
and  scalping-flint.  The  body  was  always  placed  in 
the  grave  in  a  sitting  posture,  which  was  the  position 
assumed  by  the  listener  at  councils  or  gatherings  of 
any  kind  ;  and  as  it  was  believed  that  the  first  thing 
to  be  done  on  arrival  in  the  spirit-land  was  to  listen 
to  the  counsel  of  friends  who  had  gone  before,  the 
newly  buried  one  would  thus  be  in  the  proper  atti- 
tude. Just  as  the  body  was  being  lowered  into  the 
grave,  a  live  bird  was  placed  upon  it  and  released,  to 
symbolize  by  its  flight  that  the  spirit  of  the  dead 
then  took  its  flight  to  the  spirit-land  ;  and,  as  it  was 
firmly  believed  that  there  the  good  were  far  more 
happy  than  in  this  life,  mourning  for  the  dead  ceased 
with  the  burial,  and  the  grief  manifested  thereafter 
was  for  the  loss  the  living  had  sustained  in  the  re- 
moval of  their  relative.  When  a  chief  died,  the 
burial  ceremony  was  attended  with  great  formality 
and  pomp. 

The  Iroquois  firmly  believed  in  a  state  of  future 
rewards  and  punishments,  and  that  in  the  other 
world  the  good  are  separated  from  the  bad.  Their 
experience  led  them  to  look  upon  the  whites  as  bad, 
and  they  rejoiced  in  the  hope  and  faith  that  they 


32  Wah-kee-nah 


should  find  there  a  blessed  country  which  no  white 
man's  foot  would  ever  be  permitted  to  profane. 

That  desire  was  one  thing  that  operated  against 
the  missionaries  in  their  efforts  to  "  convert "  the 
Indians. 

An  old  chief  expressed  the  deep-seated  feeling  of 
his  people  when,  solicited  upon  his  death-bed  to 
accept  the  Christian  religion,  he  said  :  "  No ; — get 
white  man's  religion — then,  when  die,  go  where  white 
man  go — no  want  to" 

Their  idea  was  that  there  was  eternal  life  beyond 
the  grave,  and  that  friends  would  recognize  each 
other  in  the  next  world  the  same  as  in  this.  They 
believed  in  one  God,  and  that  He  made  the  earth  and 
everything  in  it  that  was  good,  and  they  ascribed  to 
Him  all  good.  They  also  believed  in  an  evil  spirit, 
corresponding  to  the  Biblical  devil,  who  was  ever 
going  about  doing  evil.  They  attributed  to  this  evil 
spirit  creative  powers  also;  believing  that  he  created 
all  monsters,  snakes,  and  poisonous  plants  : — reason- 
ing that  a  God  who  was  all  goodness  would  never 
have  made  anything  that  would  harm  His  children. 
There  was  no  religious  division  among  them,  and 
they  had  no  need  for  priests  or  ministers ;  for  they 
all  worshipped  the  same  God,  and  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Their  worship  was  a  spiritual  one ;  they  had 
no  idols.  A  post,  or  totem,  set  up  in  the  centre  of 
the  village  and  occasionally  in  other  places,  and  upon 
which  were  inscribed  many  records  and  hieroglyphics, 
was  sometimes  carved  in  representation  of  a  gro- 
tesque face,  arms,  etc. ;  and  this  carving  and  the 


And  Her  People.  33 

veneration  in  which  the  posts  were  held  led  some  of 
the  early  historians  to  believe  that  they  were  idols. 
But  those  who  became  acquainted  with  the  language 
found  them  to  be  merely  totems,  or  record  posts. 

The  Iroquois  being  a  powerful^  and  warlike  people, 
the  nations  of  the  Confederacy  had  many  warriors 
who,  like  the  standing  armies  of  to-day,  were  idle, 
with  no  chance  to  win  laurels  unless  engaged  in 
hostilities.  The  result  was,  that  idleness  bred  rest- 
lessness, for  (except  the  war  dance)  they  had  nothing 
of  even  the  small  relief  afforded  the  soldier  of  the 
present  day  by  drills  and  manoeuvres ;  whence  they 
were  almost  continuously  engaged  in  war. 

Their  traditions  tell  us  that  their  Confederacy  was 
formed  a  number  of  years  prior  to  the  settlement  of 
the  white  man  on  this  continent.  They  also  inform 
us  that  the  first  contest  of  the  Confederacy,  in  which 
the  warriors  of  the  whole  five  nations  joined  forces 
and  fought  side  by  side,  was  with  the  Eries,  a  large 
and  powerful  tribe  residing  on  the  south  shore  and 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  great  lake  that  still  bears 
their  name,  their  principal  village  being  located  near 
what  is  now  the  city  of  Buffalo. 

The  Eries  had  learned  of  the  formation  of  the 
Confederacy  and  were  greatly  troubled  thereby.  So, 
in  order  to  find  out  whether  the  five  nations  would 
really  act  together,  they  sent  a  challenge  to  them  to 
select  one  hundred  of  their  most  athletic  young  men 
to  meet  a  like  number  chosen  from  the  Eries,  in  a 
friendly  game  of  ball  for  a  wager.  Upon  receiving 
this  challenge,  the  Iroquois  called  the  council  to- 


34  Wah-kee-nah 


gether,  and  after  some  debate  it  was  decided  not  to 
accept  it,  and  a  message  to  that  effect  was  sent  to 
the  Eries.  The  challenge  was  sent  a  second  time, 
and  again  declined.  A  third  challenge  was  sent, 
and  by  this  time  the  young  men  had  become  so 
excited  that  the  older  ones  could  not  restrain  them, 
and  it  was  finally  decided  to  accept  the  challenge.  A 
hundred  of  the  best  players  in  the  five  tribes  were 
selected,  and  under  the  leadership  of  an  experienced 
chief  and  without  arms,  they  went  to  meet  the  Eries, 
carrying  with  them  a  large  quantity  of  costly  wampum 
belts,  beautifully  ornamented  moccasins,  rich  beaver 
robes,  and  other  articles  of  great  value  in  the  eyes  of 
the  Indian,  and  which  the  Iroquois  chief  caused  to 
be  deposited  in  a  pile  on  the  field  where  the  game 
was  to  be  played.  These  were  all  carefully  matched, 
piece  by  piece,  by  the  chief  of  the  Eries.  The  game 
was  played  with  great  vigor  on  both  sides,  but  it 
became  evident,  almost  from  the  start,  that  the  Eries 
were  over-matched,  not  only  in  skill  but  in  the 
strength,  swiftness,  and  endurance  of  the  players, 
and  the  Iroquois  triumphantly  bore  off  the  prize.  This 
ended  the  first  day. 

On  the  following  morning  the  Iroquois  prepared 
for  departure ;  but  the  Erie  chief  said  that  although 
they  had  been  fairly  beaten  in  the  ball  game,  their 
young  men  would  not  be  satisfied  unless  they  could 
have  a  foot-race,  and  he  proposed  to  match  ten  of 
their  number  against  an  equal  number  whom  the 
Iroquois  chief  should  pick  from  his  party.  This  was 
finally  acceded  to,  the  runners  were  selected,  the  race 


And  Her  People.  35 

was  run  amid  much  excitement,  and  the  Iroquois 
were  again  the  winners.  This  ended  the  second  day. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  third,  the  Iroquois 
started  for  home.  But  the  chief  of  the  Eries,  not 
concealing  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  result  of  the 
two  contests,  stopped  them,  and  proposed  as  a  final 
trial  of  skill,  strength,  and  prowess,  to  select  ten  of 
his  men  to  be  matched  against  an  equal  number  of 
picked  men  of  the  Iroquois  in  a  wrestling  match, 
and  that  the  victor  should  dispatch  his  adversary  on 
the  spot  with  the  tomahawk,  and  bear  off  his  scalp  as 
a  trophy.  This  proposition  was  flatly  refused  by  the 
Iroquois  chief ;  but  upon  its  being  repeated,  with 
taunts  as  to  their  lack  of  courage,  the  Iroquois  de- 
cided to  accept  the  sanguinary  challenge,  but  deter- 
mined in  their  own  council  that  should  they  come 
off  victorious  they  would  not  perform  the  last  act 
called  for  by  the  proposition.  A  lithe,  handsome 
Iroquois  of  the  Seneca  tribe  first  stepped  forward, 
and,  after  a  short  but  fierce  struggle,  laid  his  com- 
petitor upon  his  back.  The  chief  of  the  Eries  at 
once  presented  the  victor  with  a  tomahawk  with 
which  to  brain  his  adversary,  who  lay  prostrate  at 
his  feet.  This  he  refused  to  do  ;  but  quick  as 
thought,  and  with  flaming  eyes,  the  chief  seized  the 
tomahawk  and  buried  it  in  the  skull  of  his  own  war- 
rior. The  quivering  body  was  quickly  dragged  aside, 
and  another  champion  of  the  Eries  presented  himself. 

He  was  a  fine  specimen  of  athletic  manhood  in  the 
flower  of  youthful  vigor,  and  in  his  dark  eyes  shone 
the  baleful  light  of  desperate  determination  ;  for  he 


36  Wah-kee-nah 


knew  that  his  only  chance  of  life  was  to  dash  down 
his  adversary.  The  well-knit  Iroquois  who  met  him 
quickly  realized  that  it  was  no  woman's  arm  that  was 
thrown  around  him  in  that  embrace  for  life  or  death. 
The  Erie  champion  seemed  to  put  his  utmost  strength 
into  his  first  effort  to  bear  his  antagonist  at  one  dash 
and  by  sheer  force  to  the  earth.  The  Iroquois,  ap- 
parently not  fully  prepared  for  the  sudden  fierceness 
of  the  attack,  was  forced  quickly  backward,  even 
while  rigidly  maintaining  the  firm  arch  of  his  power- 
ful back.  But  he  was  still  borne  backward,  despite  of 
all  his  strength,  and  seemed  unable  to  recover  him- 
self. Hope  revived  in  the  faces  of  the  Eries,  while 
those  of  the  Iroquois  party  remained  stolid  and  im- 
movable, only  their  chief  looked  troubled.  At  this 
point  the  Erie  wrestler  made  a  quick  attempt  to  get 
his  right  foot  behind  the  heel  of  his  backward-moving 
adversary,  and,  by  thus  tripping  him,  end  the  strug- 
gle. Fatal  attempt  !  The  wiry  Iroquois  seemed 
waiting  for  this ;  for,  gathering  himself  with  a  su- 
preme effort  as  the  Erie's  foot  left  the  ground  he 
swayed  his  own  powerful  body  quick  as  a  flash  to  the 
right,  and  with  a  slight  backward  movement  laid  the 
Erie  first  upon  his  side  and  then  flat  upon  his  back. 
Again  the  deadly  tomahawk  did  its  bloody  work  in 
the  hands  of  the  infuriated  chief,  and  the  second 
victim  was  dragged  aside. 

A  third  champion  of  the  Eries  stepped  forward. 
He  seemed  to  have  little  confidence  of  success,  and 
looked  like  a  man  doomed  to  death.  His  athletic 
antagonist  quickly  and  easily  twisted  him  to  the 


And  Her  People.  3  7 

earth.  Then  the  chief  of  the  Iroquois  sprang  for- 
ward to  intercede  for  the  life  of  the  vanquished  war- 
rior, but  he  was  too  late  ;  the  Erie  chief  had  killed 
his  third  champion.  Then  the  Iroquois  chief  said 
there  should  be  no  more  wrestling,  and  gave  the 
signal  for  his  warriors  to  retire  ;  and  without  further 
parley  the  victorious  band  turned  their  faces  home- 
ward. But  on  their  dark  faces  a  shadow  rested — the 
shadow  of  life  wantonly  sacrificed. 

The  events  of  these  three  days  convinced  the 
Eries  that  it  would  be  futile  for  them  to  cope  with 
the  aggregated  strength  of  the  confederated  Iroquois, 
and  fearing  that  they  might  soon  be  attacked  by 
them,  and  knowing  that  their  only  hope  was  to  de- 
stroy the  tribes  separately,  they  determined  at  once 
to  raise  a  powerful  war  party  and  by  a  vigorous  and 
sudden  movement  to  surprise  and  destroy  the  Sene- 
cas,  who  were  the  nearest  to  them  of  the  confederated 
nations. 

There  was  living  at  this  time  among  the  Eries  a 
Seneca  woman  who  had  been  taken  prisoner  by  them 
in  her  girlhood,  and  who,  being  adopted  into  the 
tribe,  had  married  an  Erie  warrior  who  soon  after 
died,  leaving  her  without  children.  Seeing  the  ex- 
tensive preparations  for  a  bloody  onslaught  upon 
her  own  people,  this  brave  and  loyal  woman  deter- 
mined to  apprise  the  Senecas  of  their  danger.  Await- 
ing her  opportunity,  she  stole  away  on  a  dark  night 
and  went  down  the  Niagara  River  to  the  great  Falls, 
and  from  there  to  Lake  Ontario.  Here  she  was  so 
fortunate  as  to  find  a  canoe  drawn  up  on  the  beach, 


38  Wah-kee-nah 


and  launching  it  she  coasted  along  the  shore  until 
she  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  river,  near  which  was  a 
large  village  of  her  own  people.  Landing  here,  she 
made  her  way,  footsore  and  weary,  to  the  abode  of 
the  head  chief,  to  whom  she  quickly  made  known 
the  object  of  her  visit. 

Runners  were  dispatched  at  once  to  all  the  tribes, 
summoning  their  chiefs  to  meet  in  immediate  coun- 
cil. When  convened,  the  Seneca  chief  informed 
them  of  the  intended  invasion  of  the  Eries,  and  all 
agreed  that  preparations  must  be  made  with  all 
possible  speed  to  meet  the  foe.  A  body  of  five 
thousand  warriors  was  quickly  got  together,  with  a 
reserve  of  one  thousand  young  men  who  had  never 
been  in  battle.  The  head  war-chief  of  the  Confeder- 
acy took  command,  and  spies  were  sent  out  ahead 
to  look  for  the  enemy.  The  main  body  of  warriors 
had  scarcely  passed  the  last  settlement  of  the  Sene- 
cas  when  the  spies  returned,  bringing  word  that  the 
Eries  were  coming  in  great  force,  less  than  two  days' 
march  ahead. 

The  Eries  had  not  the  least  suspicion  of  the 
approach  of  the  Iroquois  forces.  They  were  relying 
upon  the  secrecy  and  celerity  of  their  own  move- 
ments to  surprise  and  destroy  the  Senecas  almost 
without  resistance.  The  Iroquois  formed  in  ambush, 
but  were  discovered,  and  the  opposing  forces  met  on 
the  banks  of  a  small  stream.  The  Eries  were  greatly 
surprised  at  meeting  the  enemy  under  such  circum- 
stances, but  nothing  could  daunt  their  courage  or 
exceed  their  impetuosity.  They  rushed  across  the 


And  Her  People.  39 

stream  and  fell  upon  the  Iroquois  with  tremendous 
fury.  The  battle  raged  fearfully.  No  quarter  was 
asked  or  given  on  either  side.  The  Eries  were 
proud,  and  had  been  victorious  hitherto  over  all 
their  enemies.  They  knew  how-to  conquer,  but  not 
how  to  yield.  On  the  other  hand,  the  united  forces 
of  the  weaker  nations,  now  made  strong  by  union 
and  brought  together  for  the  first  time  as  allies  in 
battle,  fought  with  a  spirit  of  emulation,  excited  to 
the  highest  degree  among  the  warriors  of  the  differ- 
ent tribes.  Though  staggered  by  the  first  furious 
onslaught  of  the  Eries,  they  quickly  rallied  and  made 
a  determined  stand.  Then  the  battle  raged  with 
the  utmost  fury.  The  war-club,  the  tomahawk,  and 
the  scalping-flint,  wielded  by  powerful  dusky  arms, 
each  did  its  terrible  work  of  death.  Seven  times 
had  the  Eries  been  driven  back  across  the  stream, 
and  as  many  times  had  they  regained  their  ground. 
During  the  hottest  of  the  fight  the  head  chief  of  the 
Iroquois  executed  a  brilliant  strategic  movement. 
The  reserve  of  a  thousand  young  men,  who  had  not 
yet  shown  themselves  in  the  conflict,  were,  under 
cover  of  the  underbrush,  massed  on  the  other  side  of 
the  stream,  in  the  rear  of  the  Eries ;  and  when  the 
latter  were  driven  back  for  the  eighth  time,  this  fresh 
reserve,  at  a  signal  from  their  leader,  rushed  with  a 
tremendous  yell  upon  the  now  almost  exhausted 
Eries,  and  quickly  decided  the  fortunes  of  the  bloody 
day.  The  victors  gave  their  enemies  no  rest,  but 
pursued  them  in  their  flight  until  they  were  almost 
entirely  annihilated.  Only  a  few  swift  runners  and 


40  Wah-kee-nah 


stragglers  of  the  vanquished  Eries  escaped  to  carry 
the  news  of  their  terrible  defeat  to  the  women  and 
children  and  the  old  men  who  remained  at  home. 

After  thus  conquering  the  Eries,  the  confederated 
nations  took  possession  of  their  territory,  which 
brought  them  in  contact  with  the  Hurons.  Having 
learned  their  power,  they  from  this  time  forward  in- 
augurated a  campaign  of  conquest,  and  did  not  rest 
until  they  had  subdued  many  of  the  nations  as  far 
west  as  the  Mississippi  River.  On  the  south  they 
extended  their  conquests  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  ; 
on  the  north  to  Hudson  Bay  ;  and  on  the  east  to  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  This  left  them  the  masters  of  an 
immense  territory — the  finest  on  the  continent. 

This  was  the  condition  of  the  Iroquois  when  the 
whites  first  settled  here  ;  and  it  so  remained  until 
they  took  sides  in  the  wars  between  the  French  and 
English,  and  later  between  the  English  and  Ameri- 
can colonies.  The  tribes  they  had  conquered  merely 
paid  them  tribute  in  corn  and  skins,  which  added  to 
their  wealth  and  ease  of  living,  but  not  to  their 
strength. 

The  steady  and  rapid  encroachments  of  the  white 
men  soon  took  from  them  the  greater  portion  of  the 
soil  which  was  their  natural  heritage,  and  penned 
them  up  on  reservations.  As  has  been  forcibly  and 
truly  said  of  them  :  "  The  infectious  air  of  civili- 
zation penetrated  to  the  remotest  corner  of  their 
solitudes.  Their  ignorant  and  credulous  nature, 
unable  to  cope  with  a  superior  race,  absorbed  only 
its  worst  features,  yielding  up  their  own  simplicity 


And  Her  People.  4 1 

and  nobleness  for  the  white  men's  vices,  diseases, 
and  death."  They  are  now  reduced  to  about  seven 
thousand,  and  are  much  scattered,  living  on  various 
reservations  in  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

There  were  but  two  roads  ta  distinction  among 
the  Iroquois — one  war,  the  other  oratory.  They 
held  their  oratorical  sachems  in  great  honor.  The 
one  best  known  and  most  celebrated  among  the 
whites  was  Sa-go-ye-wat-ta,  meaning  "  He  keeps 
them  awake."  He  was  known  among  the  whites 
as  "  Red  Jacket,"  having  received  that  name  from 
the  fact  that  an  English  officer  had  once  given  him 
a  red  coat,  which  Red  Jacket  always  wore  on  great 
occasions  and  of  which  he  was  very  proud.  He  was 
a  man  of  great  ability  and  remarkable  powers  of 
oratory.  He  was  born  in  1750,  and  was  on  the  stage 
of  action  during  the  trouble  between  England  and 
the  colonies.  He  always  opposed  the  Indians' 
taking  up  the  hatchet  on  either  side.  He  foresaw 
the  destruction  of  his  people,  and  thought  the  tak- 
ing up  of  arms  upon  behalf  of  the  white  man's 
quarrel  would  hasten  that  destruction.  He  had 
noted  how  they  were  being  surrounded  by  civili- 
zation, and  wasting  away,  and  in  one  of  his  speeches, 
alluding  to  this  condition,  he  said  : 

"  We  stand  upon  a  small  island  in  the  bosom  of 
the  great  waters.  We  are  encircled — we  are  encom- 
passed. The  Evil  Spirit  rides  upon  the  blast,  and 
the  waters  are  disturbed.  They  rise,  they  press 
upon  us  ;  and  the  waves  once  settled  over  us,  we 
disappear  forever.  Who  then  lives  to  mourn  for  us  ? 


42  Wah-kee-nah. 


None.  What  marks  our  extermination  ?  Nothing. 
We  shall  be  mingled  with  the  common  elements." 

On  another  occasion,  addressing  an  assemblage  of 
whites,  he  said  : 

"  Your  forefathers  crossed  the  great  water  and 
landed  upon  this  continent.  Their  numbers  were 
small.  They  found  friends,  and  not  enemies. 
They  told  us  they  had  fled  from  their  own  country 
on  account  of  wicked  men,  and  had  come  here 
to  enjoy  their  religion.  They  asked  for  a  small 
seat.  We  took  pity  on  them  and  granted  their  re- 
quest, and  they  sat  down  among  us.  We  gave  them 
corn  and  meat ;  they  gave  us  '  fire  water '  in 
return." 

Red  Jacket  died  in  1830,  and  was  buried  in  the 
Indian  burial-ground  near  the  city  of  Buffalo,  New 
York.  In  1884 — the  city  having  spread  beyond  this 
little  patch  of  ground,  sacred  only  to  the  Indians — 
the  owners  of  the  adjacent  property  bought  the  land 
and  had  all  the  bodies  removed.  Some  citizens, 
thinking  that  Red  Jacket  deserved  more  than  an  un- 
known grave,  had  his  remains  reinterred  in  the  beau- 
tiful cemetery  known  as  "  Forest  Lawn,"  and  a  fine 
bronze  monument  erected  to  his  memory,  at  a  cost 
of  ten  thousand  dollars. 

Another  of  their  orators  was  Tah-gah-jute,  called 
"  Logan  "  by  the  whites.  He  had  always  advised 
his  nation  not  to  join  either  side  in  the  war  between 
the  whites.  His  wigwam  was  known  far  and  near 
as  the  abode  of  hospitality,  friendship,  and  kindness. 
Although  a  Cayuga,  he  married  a  Shawnee  woman, 


And  Her  People.  43 

and  went  to  live  with  her  tribe  in  the  west.  His 
wigwam  was  upon  the  bank  of  the  Ohio  River,  near 
where  the  city  of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  now  stands, 
and  there  also  he  became  a  great  favorite  with  the 
white  settlers.  He  had  always  declared  he  would 
never  lift  his  tomahawk  against  the  white  man.  It 
happened,  however,  that  in  the  spring  of  1774  a  diffi- 
culty arose  between  the  whites  and  Indians  in  that 
section  of  country.  It  was  called  "  Cresap's  war." 
Logan  remained  quietly  at  home  joining  neither  side. 
Colonel  Cresap  with  a  company  of  armed  settlers, 
while  on  their  way  to  join  other  forces  that  were 
gathering  to  fight  the  Indians,  camped  for  the  night 
not  far  from  Logan's  home.  Some  of  the  party 
wanted  to  do  an  act  of  daring  to  show  their  courage 
and  immortalize  their  names,  and  therefore  they  set 
out  during  the  night  for  Logan's  wigwam.  It  did 
not  matter  to  them  whose  it  was  ;  it  was  enough  to 
know  that  it  was  an  Indian's.  Logan  was  not  at 
home,  and  they  in  cold  blood  murdered  his  two 
younger  brothers,  his  wife,  and  all  his  little  ones,  and 
left  them  weltering  in  their  blood  upon  the  floor  of 
his  cabin.  Logan  returned  in  the  morning  to  find 
his  home  tenanted  only  by  the  dead  ;  and  then  at 
once,  for  the  first  time,  thirst  for  vengeance  filled  his 
soul,  and  from  that  moment  he  became  the  settlers' 
deadly  foe.  He  immediately  joined  the  Indians  and 
fought  for  revenge,  not  only  in  the  "  Cresap  war," 
but  also  during  the  early  part  of  the  long  and  bloody 
war  between  England  and  the  colonies  (called  the 
Revolutionary  war),  filling  the  land  with  mourning. 


44  Wah-kce-nah 


When  the  war  ended  and  the  Indians  were  con- 
quered, Logan  was  the  last  chief  to  sign  the  treaty 
of  peace,  and  he  signed  then  only  upon  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  all  the  other  chiefs.  While  before  the 
commission  on  this  occasion  he  rose  slowly  from  his 
seat,  and,  with  unspeakable  sadness  depicted  upon 
his  countenance,  spoke  the  following  words  : 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  man  to  say  if  ever  he 
entered  Logan's  cabin  hungry,  and  he  gave  him  no 
meat ;  if  ever  he  came  cold  or  naked  and  he  clothed 
him  not.  During  the  course  of  the  long  and  bloody 
war  between  the  whites,  Logan  joined  neither  side, 
but  remained  in  his  cabin,  an  advocate  of  peace. 
Such  was  my  love  for  the  whites,  that  my  country- 
men pointed  as  they  passed,  and  said  Logan  is  the 
friend  of  the  white  man.  Colonel  Cresap,  in  cold 
blood  and  unprovoked,  murdered  all  the  relations  of 
Logan,  not  even  sparing  my  wife  and  children.  There 
runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins  of  any 
living  being.  This  called  on  me  for  revenge.  I 
have  sought  it.  I  have  killed  many.  I  have  fully 
glutted  my  vengeance.  For  my  country  I  rejoice 
at  the  beams  of  peace.  But  do  not  harbor  a  thought 
that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never  felt  fear. 
He  would  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who 
is  there  now  to  mourn  for  Logan  ?  Not  one." 

When  he  had  finished  this  pathetic  address  he  sank 
down  upon  his  seat,  a  picture  of  despair;  and,  cover- 
ing his  face  with  his  hands,  wept  bitter,  scalding  tears. 
Then,  recovering  his  composure,  he  arose  majestically, 
signed  the  treaty,  and  strode  from  the  place. 


And  Her  People. 


45 


There  are  several  conflicting  accounts  as  to  when, 
where,  and  under  what  circumstances  Logan  made 
this  speech,  but  all  agree  that  it  was  made  by  him. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  slaughter  of  his  family,  Lo- 
gan could  not  be  induced  to  taste  spirituous  liquor; 
but  after  signing  this  treaty  he  sought  relief  from 
sorrow  in  the  mind-  and  soul-destroying  cup,  and  the 
great  orator  and  noble-hearted  man  became  a  wreck. 

He  died  in  1780,  and  a  fine  monument  is  erected 
to  his  memory  near  Sandusky,  Ohio. 

I  have  dwelt  thus  at  length  upon  the  Iroquois,  be- 
cause (excepting,  perhaps,  the  Aztecs,  in  Mexico) 
their  history  is  better  known  than  that  of  any  other 
nation  upon  the  continent,  because  they  exercised 
sovereignty  over  a  vast  territory,  and  because  they 
are  in  many  respects  a  type  of  most  of  the  other 
Indians  north  of  the  thirty-third  parallel  of  north 
latitude. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

LIKE  all  unenlightened  people,  the  Iroquois  had 
many  superstitions.     One  of  the  strongest  of 
these  was   the   significant   importance  which 
they  attached  to  dreams.     So  great  was  this,  that  if 
any  one  had  a  clearly  defined  dream  it  was  believed 
that  it  must  be  realized  if  possible,  or  dire  calamity 
would  follow.     One  illustration  of  the  strength  of 
this  superstition  will  suffice  : 

Sir  William  Johnson,  an  English  baronet,  had  set- 
tled among  the  Mohawks,  and  held  wonderful  sway 
over  the  Iroquois.  He  had  a  fine  coat,  highly  orna- 
mented and  decorated,  to  impress  the  Indians  with 
his  greatness.  This  he  wore  on  all  state  occasions. 
One  day  the  head  chief  of  the  Mohawks,  Soi-en-ga- 
rah-tak,  who,  on  account  of  his  great  power  and 
influence,  was  called  by  the  whites  "  King  Hen- 
dricks,"  came  to  Sir  William  and  told  him  he  had 
dreamed  that  Sir  William  gave  him  that  coat. 

Sir  William,  having  lived  long  among  them  and 
well  knowing  that  to  obstruct  the  realization  of  the 
chief's  dream  would  greatly  weaken  his  influence 
among  the  Indians,  immediately  gave  him  the  coat. 
Not  long  afterwards  Sir  William  sent  for  the  chief 

46 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.  47 

and  informed  him  that  he  had  just  had  a  remarkably 
vivid  dream  to  the  effect  that  the  chief  had  given 
him  such  and  such  lands,  naming  a  valuable  tract 
containing  some  three  thousand  acres.  The  chief 
saw  at  once  that  he  was  beaten  at-his  own  game,  and 
for  a  moment  hung  his  head.  Then,  slowly  raising 
his  eyes,  which  had  in  them  a  little  twinkle,  he  said : 
"Well,  Sir  William,  I  will  give  you  the  land;  but 
don't  dream  again  !  " 

This  chief  joined  the  English  in  the  war  with  the 
French,  and  was  killed  in  battle  in  1755,  when  he 
was  about  seventy  years  of  age. 

After  the  death  of  "  King  Hendricks,"  Joseph 
Brant,  whose  Indian  name  was  Tha-yen-dah-na-gea, 
was,  although  not  in  the  direct  line  of  succession, 
made  by  universal  consent  the  head  chief  of  the 
Mohawks.  He  was  born  in  1742,  and  while  a  young 
boy  was  taken  in  charge  by  Sir  William  Johnson. 
At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Lake  George,  where  the  French  under  Baron  Dieskau 
were  defeated  by  the  English  forces  under  command 
of  Sir  William  Johnson.  Brant  also  accompanied 
Sir  William  in  many  expeditions  against  the  French 
during  this  war.  He  was  placed  in  school  by  Sir 
William  at  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  where  he  received 
an  English  education.  Later  he  took  part  in  the 
war  with  Pontiac  and  the  Ottawas,  and  for  many 
years  after  this  led  a  quiet  life,  as  secretary  to  Sir 
William  and  also  to  Sir  Guy  Johnson,  who  succeeded 
to  the  agency  after  Sir  William's  death. 

When  the  war  broke  out  between  the  American 


48  Vb  ah-kee-nah 


colonies  and  Great  Britain,  Brant  adhered  to  his 
patron,  Sir  Guy  Johnson,  and,  with  as  many  Mo- 
hawks as  he  could  induce  to  go  with  him,  joined  the 
British.  In  the  fall  of  1775  he  was  commissioned  a 
captain  in  the  British  army,  and  went  to  England 
for  a  personal  interview  with  the  officers  of  the  home 
government.  He  was  there  an  object  of  much  in- 
terest and  at  times  attracted  great  attention  by 
appearing  in  full  native  costume,  elegantly  made, 
and  decorated  in  the  height  of  -Indian  fashion.  On 
his  return  to  America,  he  entered  actively  into  the 
war,  fully  espousing  the  British  cause,  and  urging 
upon  his  people  the  ill-treatment  the  Iroquois  had 
received  at  the  hands  of  the  colonists.  The  latter 
used  every  endeavor  to  induce  Brant  to  join  them, 
as  did  the  English  to  retain  him.  He  was  told  by 
the  colonists  that  the  king  would  surely  be  beaten, 
as  he  had  to  bring  all  his  soldiers  across  the  great 
water ;  and  that  when  the  British  were  driven  out, 
as  they  were  sure  to  be,  the  colonists  would  drive 
him  and  his  people  from  the  country,  in  case  he 
adhered  to  the  cause  of  Great  Britain. 

On  the  other  hand  he  was  told  by  Sir  Guy  John- 
son that  the  king  was  rich  and  powerful,  both  in 
money  and  subjects ;  that  his  rum  was  as  plentiful 
as  the  water  in  Lake  Ontario,  and  his  men  as  numer- 
ous as  the  sands  upon  its  shore  ;  that  if  he  and  his 
people  would  persist  in  their  friendship  for  the  king 
till  the  war  was  over,  they  would  never  want  for 
goods  or  money.  The  bargain  was  struck  with  the 
British,  and  each  warrior  was  presented  with  a  suit 


And  Her  People.  49 

of  clothes,  a  brass  kettle,  an  iron  tomahawk,  a  scalp- 
ing-knife,  and  a  small  sum  of  money. 

Brant  at  once  became  the  chief  commander  of  the 
Indian  forces  of  the  British  in  the  east,  and  terrible 
indeed  was  the  work  done  by  him.  When  personally 
present,  he  was  humane  to  prisoners.  At  the  battle 
of  Springfield,  near  Otsego  Lake,  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  after  capturing  the  town  and  killing  or 
taking  prisoners  all  the  men,  he  collected  all  the 
women  and  children  in  one  house  and  left  them  un- 
harmed, while  he  caused  all  the  other  buildings  to 
be  burned. 

There  are  many  conflicting  reports  and  opinions 
as  to  the  humanity  or  cruelty  of  this  great  chief. 
As  the  leader  of  the  Indians  upon  the  side  of  the 
British,  he  was  of  course  blamed  for  all  the  massacres 
that  took  place,  whether  he  had  any  personal  knowl- 
edge of  them  or  not ;  and  in  many  instances  it  is  im- 
possible to  determine  whether  he  was  present  or  not. 
It  is  equally  impossible  to  decide  upon  the  truth  or 
falsity  of  many  of  the  stories  that  have  been  told, 
because  of  the  excitement  and  prejudice  that  existed 
at  the  time.  It  is,  however,  beyond  contradiction 
that  in  many  instances  the  lives  of  women  and  chil- 
dren were  spared  by  his  efforts  ;  and  it  is  fair  to  pre- 
sume that  he  thus  acted  in  all  cases  where  he  was 
personally  present.  He  was  unquestionably  a  man 
of  great  courage  and  ability. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  he 
left  the  United  States  and  went  into  Canada  with 
his  followers,  settling  upon  lands  given  them  by  the 


5O  Wah-kee-nah 


British  Government,  and  died  there  in  1807.  A  fine 
monument  has  been  erected  to  his  memory  in  the 
city  of  Bradford,  in  the  province  of  Ontario. 

The  dress  of  the  Indian,  prior  to  the  advent  of  the 
whites,  was  made  entirely  of  the  skins  of  animals, 
tanned  with  the  hair  or  fur  on  or  off,  as  best  pleased 
the  wearer.  Some  of  their  garments  consisted  merely 
of  the  tanned  skin  of  some  animal,  wrapped  around 
the  body ;  while  others  were  regularly  cut  out  and 
sewed  together  in  the  shape  and  style  desired.  The 
needles  used  for  this  purpose  were  fishes'  bones,  and 
the  thread,  when  fine,  was  from  the  inner  bark  or 
roots  of  some  tree,  and  when  coarse,  was  cut  from 
deer  or  elk  skins  or  made  from  the  animal's  sinew. 
Some  of  these  garments  were  quite  pretty.  They 
had  an  unique  way  of  ornamenting  them  with  bright- 
colored  porcupine  quills  and  shells,  sometimes  inter- 
mingled with  colored  grasses  and  feathers.  They 
understood  to  a  considerable  extent  the  art  of  dye- 
ing in  brilliant  colors,  principally  the  various  shades 
of  red,  green,  and  yellow.  Red  was  their  prime 
favorite.  They  also  showed  considerable  skill  and 
taste  in  blending  and  harmonizing  the  colors  which 
they  used. 

They  were  well  skilled  in  the  art  of  tanning,  and 
spent  much  time  in  the  process  of  scraping  and  rub- 
bing the  skin  over  round  sticks  and  between  the 
hands,  thus  making  it  as  soft  and  pliable  as  cloth. 
All  work  of  this  sort  was  done  by  the  women.  This 
mode  of  dressing  and  ornamenting  skins  was  com- 
mon to  all  the  Indians  upon  the  continent,  showing 


And  Her  People.  5 1 

that  with  them,  as  with  other  races  of  men,  necessity 
was  the  mother  of  invention,  and  that  among  all 
races  similar  circumstances  suggest  similar  action. 

Since  the  coming  of  the  whites,  and  more  particu- 
larly in  sections  where  game  has  become  scarce, 
the  clothing  of  the  Indian  has  been  in  great  measure 
changed  to  cloths,  blankets,  and  flannels.  Beads  of 
all  colors  have  taken  the  place  of  porcupine  quills, 
shells,  etc.,  for  ornamentation. 

The  women  had  entire  charge  of  the  children  from 
birth  to  marriage,  and  they  were  kindly  cared  for. 
They  had  nothing  to  do  but  amuse  themselves,  until 
they  became  of  sufficient  age — the  boys  to  accom- 
pany their  fathers  in  the  chase,  and  the  girls  to  help 
their  mothers. 

When  a  young  man  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
he  might  marry,  provided  he  had  secured  by  his  own 
efforts — or  his  father  would  provide  him  with — suffi- 
cient skins,  bows  and  arrows,  canoes,  or  other 
property  for  acceptable  wedding  presents  to  the 
family  of  the  bride.  Girls  were  marriageable  from 
about  fourteen  years  of  age  ;  and  as  it  cost  the  young 
man  nothing  to  furnish  meat  by  hunting — a  source 
of  pleasure  and  amusement  to  him, — and  his  wife 
would  raise  all  the  corn  and  vegetables,  besides  dress- 
ing the  skins  and  making  the  clothing,  it  was  a  very 
easy  matter  for  the  young  man  to  support  a  family  ; 
whence  nearly  all  married  at  an  early  age. 

The  pappoose-board,  or  cradle,  was  made  in  various 
ways,  the  most  common  being  a  straight  board  about 
two  and  a  half  feet  long,  fifteen  inches  wide  at  the 


52  Wah-kee-nah 


top  and  nine  inches  at  the  bottom,  made  from  cedar 
or  some  other  wood  that  would  split  straight  and 
easy.  It  was  worked  down  with  stone  scrapers  and 
ornamented  with  paint  to  suit  the  more  or  less  artistic 
taste  of  the  mother.  Over  the  top  was  a  hoop,  under 
which  the  infant's  head  was  placed.  The  little  one 
was  wrapped  in  furs  and  skins  like  a  mummy,  its  tiny 
arms  bound  close  to  its  body  with  the  wrappings. 
Then  this  baby  bundle  was  laid  upon  its  back  on  the 
board  and  fastened  by  lashings  passed  through  holes 
near  the  edges  of  the  board  and  firmly  laced.  The 
hoop  over  the  top  was  to  protect  the  head  of  the 
child  from  bruises,  in  case  the  cradle  should  fall.  The 
cradle  with  its  baby  load  was  carried  by  the  mother 
upon  her  back,  a  strap  made  of  woven  bark  or  tanned 
skin  passing  across  her  forehead  and  having  the  ends 
fastened  to  the  board.  When  the  mother  was  at 
work  at  home  she  would  stand  the  cradle  up  against 
the  side  of  the  wigwam  ;  but  when  working  in  the 
field  it  was  hung  on  a  convenient  bough  of  a  tree,  out 
of  reach  of  the  wolves.  This  was  an  easy  matter  for 
her,  for  all  Indians  could  climb  like  squirrels,  and  the 
infant  being  upon  her  back,  held  only  by  the  strap 
about  her  own  head,  did  not  interfere  in  the  least 
with  her  climbing. 

I  have  seen  from  one  to  half  a  dozen  or  more  speci- 
mens of  this  kind  of  fruit  hanging  upon  a  single  tree, 
while  the  mothers  were  picking  berries.  Strange  as 
it  may  seem,  these  children  seldom  cry,  neither  are 
they  easily  frightened.  Should  you  approach  one  of 
them  he  would  fasten  his  keen  black  eyes  on  yours 


And  Her  People.  53 

for  an  instant  and  then  turn  to  his  mother,  if  she 
were  near,  keeping  his  eyes  vibrating  between  his 
mother  and  the  stranger,  but  showing  no  signs  of  fear. 
If  the  mother  was  not  present,  the  child  would  keep 
his  little  eyes  continually  fixed  on  yours  with  a  gaze 
of  intense  interest.  The  child  is  kept  upon  the  board 
for  several  months,  or  until  his  legs  are  strong  enough 
to  walk.  Possibly  it  is  this  treatment  that  gives  the 
Indian  so  erect  a  figure — a  characteristic  so  universal 
as  to  justify  the  familiar  phrase  "  straight  as  an 
Indian." 

The  country  west  of  that  occupied  or  overrun  by 
the  Iroquois  was  occupied  by  numerous  tribes  of 
Indians  and  quite  thickly  peopled  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  which  formed  a  dividing  line  between 
these  Indians  and  the  tribes  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 

The  settlement  of  the  white  men  among  these  In- 
dians was  attended  with  atrocities  similar  to  those 
which  characterized  their  advent  among  the  Indians 
in  the  East,  and  to  such  an  extent  that  murder  be- 
came the  seeming  pastime  of  both  races  ;  and  to  go 
into  the  details  of  it  would  be  but  to  repeat,  with 
slight  change  of  circumstances,  what  has  already 
been  narrated  concerning  the  Atlantic  Coast.  I  shall 
therefore  confine  myself  to  the  character,  habits, 
beliefs,  etc.,  of  these  tribes. 

We  learn  from  their  traditions  that  before  the  white 
settlers  came  there  were  at  different  times  among 
these  Indians  confederations  similar  to  the  great  con- 
federation of  the  Iroquois.  Some  of  these  were  in 
fact  still  in  existence  when  the  whites  first  appeared. 


54  Wah-kee-nah 


They  had  some  valiant  leaders.  Among  those 
known  to  history  were  Tecumseh,  Black  Hawk,  and 
Keokuk.  In  person,  the  men  who  inhabited  this 
section  of  the  country  were  of  large  frame,  compactly 
built,  and  very  muscular.  The  women,  too,  were  large 
and  well  formed,  as  befitted  the  consorts  of  such 
men.  As  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  these  people 
prior  to  the  advent  of  the  whites  were  humane  in 
their  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war,  some  being 
adopted  into  the  tribe  and  others  held  as  slaves. 
The  oldest  man  could  remember  of  but  one  prisoner 
who  was  burned  at  the  stake,  and  that  was  said  to 
have  been  in  retaliation  for  a  like  treatment  of  one  of 
their  warriors  taken  prisoner  by  the  whites  down  in 
the  southern  country. 

It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  locate  the  various 
tribes  as  they  were  in  the  olden  times.  Some,  who 
were  very  powerful  at  one  time  in  certain  regions, 
were  overpowered  and  driven  from  their  lands,  to 
settle  in  some  distant  section,  there  to  become  strong 
again,  and  perhaps  make  conquest  of  neighboring 
tribes.  Owing  to  this  uncertainty  of  location,  it  will 
be  more  satisfactory  to  treat  of  these  Indians  in  the 
main  collectively,  although  in  some  points  the  tribes 
differed  widely  from  each  other. 

The  Shawnees  with  other  tribes  at  one  time  occu- 
pied what  is  now  the  State  of  Ohio.  It  was  among 
this  tribe  that  Simon  Kenton,  a  celebrated  scout, 
had  a  remarkable  series  of  adventures. 

Kenton,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  fled  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Kentucky,  the  then  "  Far  West,"  to  escape 


And  Her  People.  5  5 

punishment  for  killing  his  rival  in  the  affections  of  a 
country  belle.  During  the  war  of  the  Revolution  he 
was  employed  as  a  scout,  and  performed  some  very 
daring  deeds.  At  one  time  he  was  sent  into  the 
country  of  the  Shawnees  to  ascertain  their  position 
and  numbers.  This  he  accomplished  by  going  to 
their  villages  under  pretence  of  being  a  friend,  smok- 
ing the  pipe  of  peace,  and  receiving  their  hospitali- 
ties. After  thus  obtaining  all  the  information  that 
was  required,  he  started  to  return  with  his  report. 
He  had  with  him  two  friends  who  were  bold  and 
adventurous  spirits,  ready  for  anything  that  might 
come  up.  On  their  route  they  fell  in  with  a  few 
Shawnees  who  were  keeping  guard  over  quite  a 
large  herd  of  horses.  Kenton  suggested  that  they 
capture  the  entire  herd  and  drive  them  home  as  a 
rich  prize.  This  was  readily  agreed  to,  and  the  In- 
dians, entirely  unsuspecting,  were  quickly  disposed 
of. 

Some  of  the  horses  were  then  caught  as  leaders, 
and  Kenton's  comrades  started  off  at  good  speed, 
while  he  drove  up  the  laggards  from  the  rear.  They 
made  directly  for  the  Ohio  River,  dashing  forward 
during  the  entire  night  without  a  halt.  In  the 
morning  they  stopped  on  a  fine  prairie  where  there 
was  plenty  of  grass,  to  let  the  horses  graze  and  rest 
a  little.  Setting  out  again,  they  travelled  all  that 
day  and  the  following  night,  reaching  the  river  far 
in  advance  of  any  pursuit.  But  the  wind  was  blow- 
ing almost  a  hurricane,  and  they  found  the  water  so 
rough  that  with  their  utmost  efforts  they  could  not 


56  Wah-kee-nak 


force  the  horses  to  swim  the  river.  Hoping  that 
their  pursuers  would  not  reach  them  before  the 
waters  subsided,  they  lay  down  on  the  bank  to  wait. 
But  during  the  twenty-four  hours  of  this  enforced 
halt,  the  Indians  in  swift  pursuit  were  covering  the 
ground  the  whites  had  traversed  the  day  before,  and 
came  upon  them  in  the  early  morning. 

Kenton's  gun  missed  fire,  and  he  took  to  the 
woods.  He  was  hotly  pursued,  however,  and  soon 
made  prisoner.  One  of  his  friends  was  killed,  but 
the  other  succeeded  in  making  his  escape.  The 
Indians  fastened  Kenton  to  a  tree,  calling  him  a 
thief,  a  horse-stealer,  and  a  rascal ;  and  he  knew 
their  language  well  enough  to  comprehend  the  force 
of  these  choice  epithets. 

In  the  morning  the  party  started  on  their  home- 
ward march.  For  their  amusement  the  Indians 
bound  Kenton  upon  the  back  of  an  unbroken  colt  in 
real  Mazeppa  style,  while  at  night  he  took  his  rest 
lashed  to  a  tree  as  before.  It  took  three  days  to 
reach  their  first  village,  where  they  bound  him  to  a 
stake  to  be  burned.  They  danced  around  him  till 
midnight,  whooping,  yelling,  and  striking  him  with 
their  hands  and  with  switches ;  but  for  some  reason 
unknown  to  him  they  did  not  apply  the  torch. 

The  next  morning  they  unbound  the  captive,  and, 
stripping  him  entirely  naked,  made  him  "  run  the 
gauntlet  "  between  two  rows  of  men  and  boys  armed 
with  switches,  clubs,  tomahawks,  and  other  con- 
venient implements  of  torture.  At  the  end  of  the 
double  row  of  Indians,  which  was  about  a  quarter  of 


And  Her  People.  5  7 

a  mile  in  length,  stood  the  council-house,  while  at  its 
entrance  was  an  Indian  beating  a  rude  drum  ;  and  it 
was  understood  that  if  the  prisoner  could  escape  the 
weapons  and  get  into  the  house  he  was  to  be  safe  for 
the  time  being.  This  Kenton  succeeded  in  doing, 
greatly  to  the  astonishment  of  his  captors.  But  his 
troubles  were  by  no  means  ended.  His  offence  had 
been  too  great  to  warrant  his  receiving  any  mercy. 
'He  had  killed  three  or  four  of  the  Shawnees,  and, 
what  was  nearly  as  bad,  had  stolen  their  horses, 
after  smoking  with  them  the  pipe  of  peace  and  par- 
taking of  their  hospitality. 

On  that  day  the  Indians  held  a  council  to  vote 
upon  the  question  whether  they  should  burn  the 
prisoner  at  the  stake  there  and  then,  or  take  him 
around  and  exhibit  him  in  the  other  villages.  The 
chiefs  and  warriors  seated  themselves  in  a  ring  and 
passed  a  war-club  from  one  to  another.  Those  in 
favor  of  enjoying  the  fireworks  immediately  were  to 
strike  the  ground  with  the  club  before  passing  it, 
while  those  whose  generosity  inclined  them  to  give 
the  other  villages  the  benefit  of  the  exhibition  were 
to  pass  the  club  in  silence.  Never  was  a  candidate 
so  interested  in  the  vote  of  any  club  as  was  Kenton 
in  the  progress  of  this  one.  He  watched  it  with 
eager  eyes,  and  breathed  freer  when  he  counted  a 
majority  in  favor  of  putting  him  on  exhibition.  It 
was  not  a  cheerful  prospect  at  best,  but  he  knew 
this  would  give  him  at  least  a  few  more  days — per- 
haps weeks — of  life. 

They  put  a  rope  around  his  neck,  and  led  him  thus 


58  Wah-kee-nah 


from  village  to  village,  the  time  occupied  being 
nearly  a  month.  At  each  village  he  was  obliged  to 
run  the  gauntlet  for  the  entertainment  of  the  people, 
and  was  vigorously  switched  on  each  occasion.  In 
fact,  during  that  month  it  may  be  said  that  running 
the  gauntlet  was  his  chief  occupation.  He  did  not 
find  it  nearly  so  pleasant  as  killing  a  rival  lover, 
shooting  Indians,  or  stealing  horses.  Even  scouting 
would  have  pleased  him  better.  While  sitting  in  the 
council-house  of  one  of  the  villages,  after  having  had 
his  usual  daily  "  run,"  and  in  expectation  that  the 
next  thing  would  be  to  bind  him  to  the  post  for 
burning,  a  white  man  came  in  with  some  prisoners 
and  scalps.  This  proved  to  be  the  famous  outlaw, 
Girty,  who  had  deserted  the  whites  and  joined  the 
Indians,  and  who  excelled  the  latter  in  brutality  and 
savagery.  But  he  knew  Kenton.  In  former  years 
he  had  been  a  spy  with  him,  had  shared  the  same 
dangers  and  slept  under  the  same  blanket  with  him. 
That  was  enough  ;  and  Girty,  brute  and  traitor  as 
he  was,  began  at  once  to  plead  for  the  life  of  his 
friend.  In  this  he  succeeded  so  far  as  to  get  him  a 
respite  of  three  weeks,  during  which  time  Kenton 
lived  with  him.  At  the  end  of  the  three  weeks,  and 
on  the  arrival  of  some  other  Indians  from  another 
branch  of  the  tribe,  another  council  was  held,  and 
even  Girty's  pleadings  were  in  vain.  It  was  deter- 
mined to  take  the  prisoner  to  Sandusky,  and  there 
burn  him.  On  arriving  at  the  place  of  execution, 
however,  an  English  Indian  agent  interceded  in 
Kenton's  behalf, — simply  for  the  purpose,  as  he 


And  Her  People.  59 

alleged,  of  getting  information  from  him  for  the 
British  commandant  at  Detroit,  and  promising  to 
return  the  prisoner  as  soon  as  he  had  accomplished 
that  object. 

The  Indians  finally,  with  great  reluctance,  gave 
Kenton  into  the  agent's  charge,  who  sent  him  imme- 
diately to  Detroit.  From  there,  by  aid  of  an  Indian 
woman,  the  wife  of  an  English  trader,  he  escaped ; 
and  by  travelling  by  night  and  lying  quiet  during 
the  day  he  reached  his  home  in  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, in  thirty  days.  Kenton  lived  to  be  eighty- 
two  years  old  and  to  see  the  country  over  which  he 
was  dragged  a  prisoner  covered  with  the  farms  and 
dotted  with  the  towns  and  cities  of  the  white  man. 

Among  the  tribes  in  this  section  were,  besides 
the  Shawnees,  the  Hurons,  Algonquins,  Assiniboins, 
Sioux,  Apaches,  Ojibways,  Pawnees,  Cheyennes,  and 
Arapahoes.  These  tribes  differed  considerably  from 
the  Iroquois  in  their  religious  beliefs  and  in  their 
dances. 

Some  of  them  believed  that  after  death  the  spirit 
had  to  cross  a  deep  and  rapid  river  to  reach  the 
happy  hunting-grounds ;  and  that  over  this  stream, 
as  the  only  means  of  crossing,  the  Great  Spirit  had 
placed  a  very  long  pole,  which  the  current  kept  in 
rapid  and  irregular  motion.  Those  who  had  led 
good  lives  on  earth  were  enabled  to  walk  across  in 
safety ;  while  those  who  had  been  wicked  would  be 
shaken  off  and  carried  down  the  surging  stream  and 
over  a  high  precipice  extending  between  the  hunting- 
grounds  of  the  good  and  those  of  the  wicked,  and 


60  Wah-kee-nah 


separating  them  for  ever.  The  place  reserved  for 
the  good  was  provided  with  every  conceivable  thing 
that  could  conduce  to  joy  and  happiness  ;  while  the 
wicked  were  condemned  to  live  for  all  time  in  dis- 
comfort and  misery. 

They  did  not,  like  the  Iroquois,  ascribe  creative 
powers  to  the  Evil  Spirit,  although  they  believed 
that  he  exercised  great  power  over  their  destinies 
and  every-day  life.  But  in  their  belief  everything 
had  a  spirit — the  corn,  the  apple-tree,  the  cave,  the 
water,  the  wind,  the  thunder,  the  lightning — all  were 
possessed  of  their  especial  spirit ;  and  the  Indians 
burned  incense  or  made  sacrifices  to  appease  or  pro- 
pitiate each  one,  as  circumstances  dictated.  They 
prayed  only  to  the  Evil  Spirit ;  believing  that  the 
Good  God  would  always  befriend  them  without 
being  asked  or  even  thanked. 

Their  war  dance  differed  materially  from  that  of 
the  Iroquois.  Instead  of  imitating  a  battle,  they 
set  up  a  great  post,  and  the  warriors  formed  in  a 
circle  around  it.  Then  one  of  them,  painted  as  for 
war,  would  rush  to  the  post,  strike  it  with  his  whip 
or  coup-stick,  and  in  a  loud  voice  relate  his  individual 
experience,  exhibit  the  scalps  he  had  taken,  and  in 
pantomime  go  through  the  struggle  with  each  victim 
precisely  as  it  had  originally  occurred.  If  in  any 
part  of  the  ceremony  the  performer  should  exagger- 
ate, or  lie,  any  one  present  who  knew  he  was  doing 
so  was  at  liberty  to  step  forward  and  throw  dirt  in 
his  face,  thus  symbolizing  that  he  ought  to  hide  his 
face  in  shame  for  being  guilty  of  such  an  offence. 


And  Her  People.  6 1 

This  custom  had  the  effect  of  keeping  enthusiastic 
young  warriors  generally  within  bounds  in  the  rela- 
tion of  their  deeds  of  daring.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
any  warrior  had  achieved  so  many  victories  and  had 
so  many  scalps  that,  to  relate  ^all  his  adventures 
would  take  too  much  time,  the  chief  who  had  been 
selected  to  act  as  master  of  ceremonies  would  go  to 
the  post  and  place  his  hand  over  the  mouth  of  the 
warrior,  who  would  then  at  once  retire.  Such  an  act 
on  the  part  of  the  chief  was  esteemed  a  great  honor, 
for  it  bore  eloquent  though  silent  testimony  that  the 
warrior  had  performed  so  many  valiant  deeds  that 
to  recount  them  all  would  not  only  consume  too 
long  a  time,  but  also  tend  to  abash  the  younger  war- 
riors, whose  showing  would  appear  so  meagre  in 
comparison  with  his.  The  exhibition  of  scalps  was 
an  evidence  of  prowess  that  could  not  be  disputed. 
The  ceremonies  of  the  dance  were  always  followed 
by  a  great  feast. 

The  tribes  of  this  section  indulged  in  a  great 
variety  of  dances,  some  of  them  having  different 
names  for  the  same  dance.  Among  them  were  the 
Scalp  Dance,  Medicine  Dance,  Green-corn  Dance, 
Sun  Dance,  Begging  Dance,  Sign  Dance,  Eating 
Dance,  Kissing  Dance,  and  many  other  social  dances. 
The  social  dances  were  attended  with  great  merri- 
ment. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  Sioux,  or  Dakotas,  as  they  sometimes  called 
themselves,  occupied  the  northwestern  part  of 
the  country  last  described.  They  were  numer- 
ous and  powerful.  Their  numerical  strength  was,  in 
1846  (as  stated  by  General  Pike),  21,675,  of  whom 
thirty-eight  hundred  were  warriors  ;  and  it  is  claimed 
by  them  that  they  were  formerly  very  much  more 
numerous. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  some  writers  that  the  Sioux 
belong  to  a  race  distinct  from  any  other  upon  the 
continent ;  this  view  being  based  upon  the  evident 
difference  in  their  physiognomy  and  language  from 
those  of  all  other  known  tribes  ;  as  well  as  upon 
their  supplications  and  sacrifices  to  the  "  Unknown 
God,"  their  meat-  and  burnt-offerings,  and  their 
preparation  and  burning  of  incense.  I  merely  make 
this  statement,  without  any  intention  of  discussing 
it ;  my  purpose  being  simply  to  give  an  account  of 
the  Indians  as  I  found  them. 

Wild  horses  were  plenty  in  this  section  of  the 
country,  and  most  of  the  tribes  were  expert  horsemen 
and  generally  fought  on  horseback.  This  accounts  for 
their  custom  of  striking  the  post  with  their  whips  in 

62 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.  63 


the  war  dance,  indicating  the  insult  to  an  enemy, 
which  will  be  spoken  of  hereafter.  Instead  of  the 
tomahawk,  these  warriors  used  a  lance  as  their  prin- 
cipal weapon,  keeping  the  tomahawk  at  their  belts 
to  be  used  in  case  the  lance  should  be  broken  or 
when  they  came  into  close  quarters. 

The  dress  of  all  the  tribes  in  this  section  was  quite 
similar  to  that  of  the  Iroquois,  except  that  the  men 
of  rank  wore  a  singular  cap  made  of  soft  deer  skin, 
fitting  the  head  quite  closely  and  having  a  pendant 
or  tail  extending  down  the  back  to  the  heels.  This 
pendant  was  made  in  two  pieces,  and  between  these 
were  fastened  feathers,  long  ones  at  the  head  and 
others  of  gradually  decreasing  length  to  the  heel. 
Fighting  as  they  did  on  horseback,  such  an  appen- 
dage was  not  burdensome,  and  this  peculiar  head- 
dress was  often  worn  in  battle  when  the  rest  of  the 
body  was  covered  only  with  paint.  It  was  a  matter 
of  rejoicing  if  one  of  these  caps  was  taken  with  a 
scalp,  for  it  indicated  that  the  wearer  had  been  a 
man  of  importance. 

To  the  Indian  warrior  an  enemy's  scalp,  taken  in 
battle,  was  what  a  captured  flag  is  to  the  soldier  of 
"  civilized  warfare," — a  proud  trophy  of  his  valor. 
Before  scalping-knives  were  furnished  them  by  the 
white  traders,  the  Indians  cut  the  scalp  from  the 
head  of  a  vanquished  enemy  with  a  sharp  flint.  It 
was  a  feat  requiring  great  prowess,  for  the  victorious 
warrior  during  the  time  he  was  removing  it  remained 
exposed  to  onslaughts  of  the  enemy, — it  being  one 
of  the  sacred  tenets  of  all  tribes  never  to  let  the  body 


64  Wah-kee-nah 


of  a  slain  warrior  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  if 
they  could  prevent  it.  Whenever  one  of  their  num- 
ber was  seen  to  fall,  others  rushed  immediately  upon 
the  victor  to  prevent  his  getting  the  scalp,  whence 
the  taking  of  it  required  great  dexterity  as  well  as 
courage, — both  of  which  qualities  were  held  in  the 
highest  estimation  by  all  Indians.  It  is  by  no 
means  strange,  then,  that  the  best  evidence  of  a 
warrior's  prowess  was  the  number  of  these  ghastly 
trophies  in  his  possession. 

With  some  of  the  tribes,  however,  there  was  a 
further  reason  for  scalping  an  enemy.  This  was  the 
belief  that  the  loss  of  the  scalp  destroyed  the  im- 
mortal part,  and  secured  the  eternal  annihilation  of 
him  from  whom  it  was  taken  ;  and  thus  by  scalping 
their  enemies  here,  they  would  have  just  so  many  the 
less  in  the  other  world. 

Another  belief  prevailing  to  some  extent  among 
them  was  that  the  dead  entered  the  other  world 
exactly  as  they  left  this,  and  for  that  reason  they 
wished  to  be  dressed  in  their  finest  clothes  when 
they  died.  It  was  thought  also  that  every  one  who 
died  would  bear  his  wounds  or  deformities  into  the 
other  world  ;  and  this  was  why  they  sometimes  re- 
frained from  scalping  a. slain  white  man,  filling  his 
body  with  arrows  instead  ;  in  the  belief  that,  not 
being  scalped,  he  would  go  into  the  other  world, 
where  he  would  be  eternally  tormented  by  the 
wounds  the  arrows  had  caused.  This  we  would 
regard  as  a  reckless  waste  of  ammunition,  but  to 
them  it  appeared  a  wise  provision  for  the  future  life. 


And  Her  People.  65 

Another  curious  custom,  for  the  following  of 
which  the  warrior  would  be  highly  honored,  was 
that  of  striking  the  dead  body  of  an  enemy  with  the 
coup-stick  or  whip.  This  was  regarded  as  a  taunt  and 
an  insult,  and  the  most  strenuous  exertions  were 
made  to  prevent  it.  For  this  reason  it  was  that  in 
battle  each  side  endeavored  always  to  get  the  bodies 
of  their  slain  beyond  the  reach  of  the  enemy.  One 
of  the  most  dreaded  calamities  which  could  befall  a 
tribe  was  the  necessity  that  would  compel  them  to 
leave  any  of  their  dead  in  the  hands  of  their  hated  foes. 

Feathers  plucked  from  the  wings  of  the  war  eagle 
were  worn  by  all  warriors  in  their  caps  or  hair.  They 
also  tied  them  in  the  foretop  and  tail  of  their  horses. 
Those  worn  upon  the  head  were  painted  or  cut  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  signify  certain  events,  so  that 
much  of  a  warrior's  record  could  be  read  upon  his 
head.  For  example,  the  number  of  feathers  with  a 
spot  of  black  paint  upon  them  indicated  the  number 
of  enemies  he  had  slain ;  those  with  a  V-shaped 
notch  cut  in  the  long  side  of  the  feather,  the  number 
of  scalps  he  had  taken  ;  those  split  through  the 
centre,  how  many  times  he  had  been  wounded ; 
those  with  three  notches  cut  in  the  top,  how  many 
times  he  had  insulted  the  enemy  by  striking  the  dead 
bodies  of  their  warriors  ;  while  others,  cut  in  various 
ways,  indicated  other  daring  exploits.  The  marked 
feathers  occupied  the  most  conspicuous  place,  while 
plain  ones  were  used  to  fill  out  this  fantastic  head- 
dress, according  to  the  taste  of  the  wearer.  Possibly 
it  is  this  ancient  custom  of  the  Indian  that  originated 


66  Wak-kee-nah 


the  familiar  expression  :  "  That  puts  another  feather 
in  your  cap." 

The  tribes  in  this  section  disposed  of  their  dead  by 
placing  the  body  on  a  raised  platform,  and  hanging 
around  it  the  utensils  or  arms  used  by  the  deceased 
while  living.  All  these  articles  were  spoiled  for 
earthly  use,  that  they  might  not  tempt  the  cupidity 
of  any  one.  Holes  were  made  in  all  the  kettles  and 
dishes,  the  bows  and  arrows  were  broken,  and  the 
skins  cut.  They  believed  that  the  spirit  would  need 
all  these  things  in  the  other  world,  and  that  a  spirit 
touch  would  make  them  whole.  They  venerated 
their  dead,  and  their  greatest  sorrow  was  to  be 
driven  from  the  spot  made  sacred  by  the  bones  of 
their  forefathers  and  friends. 

If  a  warrior  was  killed  in  battle  or  in  a  private 
feud,  his  eldest  son  took  it  upon  himself  to  avenge 
his  father's  death.  If  he  succeeded,  and  hung  the 
scalp  so  taken  upon  the  father's  grave,  he  was  en- 
titled to  paint  a  red  hand  upon  his  clothing,  which 
was  a  very  high  honor. 

Generally,  marriage  among  the  people  of  these 
tribes  was  an  affair  of  the  heart ;  although  it  occa- 
sionally happened  that  a  rich  suitor,  unable  to  win 
the  maid's  affections,  but  determined  to  have  her, 
would  induce  the  parents,  by  valuable  presents,  to 
compel  her  to  marry  him.  But  such  cases  were  not 
numerous ;  and  the  young  man  had  usually  to  win 
the  girl's  affections.  The  girls  were  not  allowed  to 
have  their  grandmothers  make  proposals  to  the 
young  men  in  their  behalf,  as  were  the  Iroquois 


And  Her  People.  67 

maidens,  but  relied  upon  their  personal  charms  to 
win  a  lover ;  and  "  the  old,  old  story  which  is  ever 
new  "  was  told  to  them  much  in  the  same  way  as 
among  the  civilized  peoples  of  the  world.  The 
young  men  wooed  very  much  in"  the  same  way  as 
young  men  have  done  and  are  likely  to  continue  to 
do  through  all  time.  They  made  themselves  as  at- 
tractive as  possible,  took  walks  by  moonlight  with 
the  girl  of  their  choice,  and  serenaded  her  on  nights 
when  they  could  not  walk  with  her.  They  had  a 
sort  of  flute,  made  from  a  hollow  reed,  and  upon 
this  the  lover,  in  the  still  hours  of  the  night,  would 
play  outside  the  wigwam  of  the  maiden  he  loved.  If 
his  suit  prospered  they  would  take  long  daylight 
rambles  in  the  grand  old  native  woods,  where  he 
would  pour  into  her  willing  ear  his  protestations  of 
love ;  tell  her  of  his  many  exploits  in  tracking  the 
wary  game,  or  cause  her  cheek  to  blanch  with  the 
story  of  his  more  daring  and  dangerous  adventures 
upon  the  war-path.  He  would  fill  her  trusting  soul 
with  sweet  promises  of  the  future,  until  at  last  she 
yielded  the  consent  he  sought.  Returning  hand  in 
hand  to  the  village  both  families  would  be  told  of 
the  engagement,  and  it  would  very  soon  be  known 
to  all  the  village.  On  the  morrow,  if  the  young 
man  was  unable  to  make  a  suitable  present  to  the 
girl's  parents,  he  would  endeavor  to  obtain  their 
consent  without  the  customary  gifts.  Should  he 
fail  in  this,  however,  he  would  arrange  to  steal  his 
sweetheart ;  and  she,  with  a  charming  willingness  to 
be  stolen,  would  lend  him  every  assistance. 


68  Wah-kee-nah 


When  everything  was  made  ready — and  it  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  no  time  was  wasted 
in  the  process — the  young  man  wrapped  his  buffalo 
robe  around  him,  thus  concealing  his  bow  and 
arrows,  tomahawk,  and  flint  knife,  and  strode  away 
into  the  woods  as  naturally  as  if  nothing  was  going 
to  happen.  The  maiden  also,  when  the  way  was 
clear  for  her,  wrapped  herself  in  her  buffalo  robe, 
under  which  she  concealed  a  kettle  and  the  wooden 
dish  in  which  the  food  was  placed,  and  stole  away 
to  the  place  agreed  upon  for  meeting  her  lover. 
From  there  they  proceeded  to  the  nearest  village  in 
which  the  young  warrior  had  relatives,  and  with 
them  they  remained  as  husband  and  wife  until  they 
saw  fit  to  return  to  their  own  village.  There  they 
would  be  received  by  the  parents  with  open  arms ; 
for  it  was  the  custom  among  these  people,  where  a 
couple  thus  ran  away  and  became  husband  and  wife, 
that  all  opposition  to  their  union  should  end.  In 
fact  the  "  stealing  "  of  the  bride  was  little  more  than 
a  fiction,  the  carrying  out  of  which  no  one  made,  as 
a  rule,  any  serious  effort  to  prevent. 

A  formal  marriage  in  Indian  "  high  life "  was, 
however,  quite  a  different  affair.  After  the  young 
man  had  wooed  and  won  the  maiden  of  his  love,  the 
engagement  was  at  once  announced ;  and  the  next 
day  (for  there  were  no  dangerously  long  engage- 
ments) the  expectant  bridegroom  loaded  a  horse 
with  presents,  and  led  it  in  person  to  the  door  of 
the  wigwam  of  the  bride's  parents.  Here,  without 
entering  or  saying  a  word,  he  proceeded  to  unload 


And  Her  People.  69 

the  presents,  leaving  them  near  the  door.  If  it  was 
near  nightfall,  or  there  seemed  to  be  any  probability 
of  a  storm,  the  gifts  were  taken  in  and  cared  for. 
Then  a  consultation  was  held  among  the  relatives 
of  the  maiden,  which  etiquette^  demanded  should 
continue  for  at  least  three  days,  even  though  the 
decision  was  made  at  once.  If  this  decision  were 
adverse,  the  young  man  was  informed  that  he  might 
take  away  his  goods  ;  but  if  it  were  favorable,  he  was 
advised  of  the  acceptance  of  his  gifts,  and  a  time  was 
fixed  when  he  should  receive  his  bride.  When  this 
time  arrived,  which  was  usually  the  same  day  on 
which  the  favorable  answer  was  communicated,  the 
relatives  formed  a  procession  headed  by  the  parents 
of  the  bride,  and  she,  dressed  in  her  best  attire, 
followed  immediately  behind  them.  In  silence  they 
marched  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  bride- 
groom's wigwam,  and  there  halted.  In  a  minute  or 
two  a  warrior,  selected  by  the  groom,  and  whom  we 
might  call  his  "  best  man,"  came  out  to  meet  them, 
and  placing  himself  directly  in  front  of  the  parents, 
turned  his  back  to  them  and  faced  the  wigwam  of 
the  groom. 

Then  the  parents  stepped  aside  and  the  bride 
sprang  upon  the  warrior's  back,  holding  herself  there 
by  clinging  to  his  neck ;  and  he,  with  slow  and 
measured  tread,  moved  toward  the  wigwam  of  the 
groom  and  upon  reaching  it  the  door  was  promptly 
thrown  open  by  a  relative  of  the  groom.  The  bride's 
feet  were  not  permitted  to  touch  the  ground  until 
she  had  crossed  the  threshold,  nor  must  he  who  car- 


7O  Wah-kee-nah 


ried  her  assist  her  in  any  manner  to  hold  herself  on. 
On  alighting  inside,  she  rushes  to  her  lover  and  seats 
herself  beside  him  on  the  bench  where  he  has  sat 
during  the  entire  time  the  procession  has  been 
coming,  with  a  countenance  as  stolid  and  immovable 
as  if  he  had  not  the  slightest  interest  in  the  proceed- 
ings. Not  until  the  bride  had  thus  seated  herself 
and  placed  her  hand  in  that  of  her  lover  was  the 
ceremony  complete.  As  soon  as  they  had  joined 
hands  they  became  husband  and  wife,  and  at  once  the 
tongues  of  the  relatives  and  friends  were  unloosed. 
The  hilarity  of  the  occasion  began,  and  it  ended 
with  a  feast  prepared  by  the  relatives  of  the 
groom. 

The  riding  of  the  bride  into  the  groom's  wigwam 
upon  the  back  of  his  representative,  or  best  man,  was 
intended  to  symbolize  the  entire  dependence  of  the 
wife  upon  her  husband  ;  that  where  he  goes,  she  must 
go ;  that  she  could  do  nothing  without  his  consent ; 
as,  being  upon  his  back,  she  became  a  part  of  him 
and  subject  to  his  will.  Her  action  in  springing 
upon  his  back  and  clinging  there  was  to  show  her 
entire  willingness  to  become  part  of  him,  and  that 
thenceforth  his  will  should  be  her  will.  It  was  the 
Indian  way  of  promising  to  "  love,  honor,  and  obey." 

The  Indian  abounds  in  superstitions.  Had  any 
unpropitious  thing  happened — had  a  white  dog 
howled  or  an  owl  hooted  while  the  wedding  proces- 
sion was  marching,  the  procession  would  have  turned 
back  to  the  wigwam  of  the  bride,  and  the  ceremony 
would  have  been  delayed  until  the  following  day. 


And  Her  People.  71 


Thus  we  cast  a  shower  of  rice  or  a  worn  slipper  after 
the  departing  bride  and  groom,  that  they  may  have 
happiness  and  good  fortune.  Is  there  so  very  much 
difference  in  the  superstitions? 

One  of  the  superstitions  of  the  Indians  promoted 
humanity.  They  had  but  few  cases  of  idiocy  or  in- 
sanity among  them  ;  but  they  believed  that  if  they 
injured  or  maltreated  one  thus  afflicted  the  Great 
Spirit  would  be  angry  and  visit  dire  calamity  upon 
them.  For  this  reason  persons  thus  afflicted  were 
always  very  kindly  cared  for. 

This  superstition  was  once  of  very  great  service  to 
Professor  Hayden,  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey.  One  day  while  engaged  in  gathering  speci- 
mens in  this  section  of  country,  after  filling  his  saddle- 
bags and  pockets  with  pieces  of  various  kinds  of  rock, 
he  found  he  had  wandered  far  from  his  party,  and 
started  to  search  for  them.  Seeing  some  men  on 
horseback,  and  supposing  they  were  his  friends,  he 
rode  toward  them,  but,  to  his  horror,  discovered  that 
they  were  Indians.  Knowing  that  he  was  in  the 
country  of  hostiles,  he  turned  his  horse  and  attempted 
to  escape.  But  his  saddle-bags  and  every  pocket 
were  full  to  overflowing,  as  was  also  the  tin  box  con- 
taining bugs  and  insects  which  hung  at  his  side,  and 
thus  handicapped  he  made  but  poor  headway.  The 
Indians  soon  overtook  him  and  in  sign  language 
ordered  him  to  dismount.  They  proceeded  at  once 
to  make  an  inspection  of  his  possessions.  He  had 
nothing  with  which  to  defend  himself,  his  outfit  be- 
ing a  pocket-knife,  hammer,  chisel,  and  watch.  These 


72  Wah-kee-nah 


they  took,  and  then  began  to  plunge  their  hands  into 
his  pockets,  bringing  them  out  filled  with  the  rock 
specimens.  Again  and  again  they  did  this,  until 
pockets,  pouch,  and  saddle-bags  were  all  empty  ;  and 
as  the  pile  of  stones  increased  upon  the  ground  be- 
side him  they  burst  into  loud  laughter.  Finally  they 
opened  the  tin  box,  and  when  they  saw  nothing  in  that 
but  bugs  and  other  insects  they  quickly  closed  it,  and, 
looking  at  each  other  and  then  very  closely  at  him, 
touched  their  foreheads  with  the  forefinger  and  made 
the  sign  signifying  crazy  (mind  gone).  Then  they 
gave  back  all  his  things,  even  picking  up  the  speci- 
mens and  replacing  them  carefully  in  his  pockets, 
pouch,  and  saddle-bags,  and  in  the  sign  language 
told  him  to  mount  his  horse  and  go  on,  which  he 
did  with  a  feeling  of  thankfulness  which  can  readily 
be  imagined. 

Their  strongest  superstitions  were  connected  with 
their  doctors,  or  "  medicine  men,"  as  they  called 
them.  They  believed  them  to  be  supernaturally  en- 
dowed, and  to  possess  the  power  of  communicating 
with  and  exorcising  the  spirits  which  caused  sickness. 
They  also  believed  them  able  to  cast  a  spell  over  any 
one  at  will,  thus  causing  the  subject  to  fall  ill  or  to 
have  bad  luck.  Great  consideration  and  respect 
were  therefore  shown  them,  not  from  any  love  or  real 
regard,  but  entirely  through  fear. 

Not  every  one  could  become  a  medicine  man.  In 
order  to  reach  that  distinction  the  candidate  had  to 
be  taken  in  charge  by  the  older  medicine  men,  and 
pass  through  a  most  trying  ordeal.  He  was  taken 


And  Her  People.  73 

into  the  deep  forest,  and  there  subjected  to  a  fast 
which  brought  him  to  the  verge  of  starvation ;  and 
also  subjected  to  self-inflicted  cuttings  and  tortures 
of  various  kinds,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  old  prac- 
titioners, until  he  had  dreams  of -spirits  and  received 
communications  from  them.  If  in  this  preparatory 
process  he  fainted,  or  if  he  failed  in  any  respect,  he 
could  never  attain  the  goal  of  his  ambition.  What 
the  spirits  communicated  to  him  in  dreams  he  was 
required,  if  possible,  to  carry  out.  After  passing 
successfully  through  all  the  minutiae  of  this  terrible 
ordeal,  the  old  medicine  men  communicated  to  him 
the  mysteries  of  the  profession,  and  he  returned  to 
the  village  a  mere  skeleton.  But  he  was  then  a  full- 
fledged  "  medicine  man,"  and  as  such  was  allowed  to 
begin  his  practice. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  fear  they  inspired,  the 
medicine  men  were  usually  great  rogues,  and  made 
the  most  selfish  use  of  their  extraordinary  opportu- 
nities. 

When  they  became  ill  the  Indians  ordinarily  used 
decoctions  of  various  herbs,  roots,  barks,  and  berries, 
which  were  prepared  and  administered  by  the 
women  relatives  of  the  sick.  The  medicine  man  was 
not  called  until  the  usual  remedies  had  been  tried 
and  failed  to  bring  relief,  and  the  case  came  to  be 
regarded  as  beyond  their  control.  Then  he  was  sent 
for  in  great  haste. 

The  runner  who  acted  as  messenger  carried  with 
him  a  pipe  filled  with  Klin-a-can-ic  (the  preparation 
used  as  smoking-tobacco),  and  the  fee,  which  might 


74  Wdk-kee-nah 


consist  of  a  bow  and  quiver  of  arrows,  a  buffalo  robe, 
beaver  skins,  or  any  other  articles  of  value  in  keeping 
with  the  financial  circumstances  of  the  sick  person. 
On  entering  the  wigwam  of  the  medicine  man  the 
runner  at  once  handed  him  the  pipe,  which  taking, 
he  at  once  began  to  smoke.  As  soon  as  the  pipe 
was  finished  the  messenger  presented  the  fee  and  in- 
formed the  medicine  man  as  to  who  was  in  need  of 
his  services.  If  that  functionary  did  not  think  the 
fee  offered  was  of  sufficient  value,  he  refused  to  at- 
tend the  patient  until  it  was  made  satisfactory ;  and 
the  runner  then  returned  for  more  goods.  If,  how- 
ever, the  fee  sent  was  acceptable,  the  medicine  man 
at  once  took  his  sacred  rattle,  the  only  thing  need- 
ful, and  repaired  to  the  wigwam  of  the  sick  person. 

As  this  enchanted  rattle  was  the  one  potent  instru- 
ment of  the  medicine  man,  it  is  entitled  to  a  descrip- 
tion in  detail.  It  was  usually  about  five  or  six  inches 
in  diameter,  and  was  made  in  various  ways.  Some- 
times it  consisted  of  two  pieces  of  wood  hollowed 
like  a  gourd,  the  rattles  being  placed  in  the  hollow 
and  the  pieces  fastened  together ;  and  sometimes  of 
a  turtle  shell.  But  the  rattles  most  esteemed  were 
of  raw  elk  or  buffalo  hide,  wet  and  stretched  over  a 
ball  of  clay.  When  the  skin  had  become  dry  and 
hard,  the  clay  was  dug  out  at  the  place  where  strips 
of  skin  had  been  left  for  the  purpose  of  fastening 
upon  a  handle.  Before  the  handle  was  attached,  the 
skin,  which  now  firmly  retained  its  ball-shape,  was 
filled  with  the  sacred  and  enchanted  articles  to  which 
the  virtues  of  the  rattle  were  attributed.  These 


And  Her  People.  75 

articles  consisted  in  part  of  the  finger-bones  and 
toe-bones  of  some  slain  enemy  (the  more  of  these,  the 
more  efficacious  the  rattle) ;  teeth  of  the  beaver  and 
porcupine  ;  tip-ends  of  the  horns  of  the  buffalo,  deer, 
and  elk  ;  claws  and  teeth  of  the  bear  ;  shells,  agates, 
and  other  stones  of  various  shapes  and  colors,  es- 
pecially such  as  had  holes  through  them.  This  rattle 
was  priceless  ;  no  amount  of  property  would  induce 
the  medicine  man  to  part  with  it.  Hung  in  his 
wigwam,  it  protected  him  from  all  harm,  and  was 
the  medium  through  which  he  communicated  with 
friendly  spirits,  and  the  charm  that  kept  away  all 
that  were  unfriendly. 

Armed  with  this  rattle,  then,  the  medicine  man 
proceeded  with  slow  and  solemn  tread  towards  the 
wigwam  of  the  patient.  Now  and  again  he  would 
take  long  strides  sidewise  and  backwards,  peering 
here  and  there,  making  frightful  faces,  and  occasion- 
ally making  woful  howls.  Sometimes  he  wore  a 
hideous  mask  and  a  dress  of  skins,  made  to  appear 
most  frightful.  This  was  done  in  order  that,  should 
any  of  the  spirits  afflicting  the  sick  person  happen 
to  be  passing  that  way,  they  would  see  what  dis- 
astrous fate  they  might  expect  should  they  venture 
to  return  ;  and  also  (and  chiefly)  that  the  people  of 
the  village  might  be  impressed  with  the  mighty 
power  and  importance  of  the  great  medicine  man. 

On  entering  the  wigwam  the  medicine  man 
divested  himself  of  his  superfluous  clothing,  took  a 
seat  as  far  as  possible  from  the  patient,  and  began 
shaking  his  sacred  rattle,  first  faintly,  but  with  rapid- 


76  Wah-kee-nah 


ly  increasing  vigor.  He  also  sung  his  sacred  chants, 
in  order  to  charm  the  evil  spirit  that  had  possession 
of  the  patient.  He  kept  this  up  till  he  was  tired, 
and  then  stopped  and  smoked  awhile,  returning  with 
renewed  energy  to  his  rattling  and  singing.  This 
was  repeated  several  times,  after  which,  if  the  sufferer 
did  not  feel  better,  the  medicine  man  tried  his  more 
vigorous  measures.  He  rushed  at  the  victim  and 
with  violent  contortions  sucked  with  his  lips  the 
part  affected.  This  operation  was  sometimes  per- 
formed with  such  violence  as  to  draw  blood.  The 
medicine  man  then  arose,  groaning  and  writh- 
ing and  throwing  himself  into  all  sorts  of  postures, 
as  if  suffering  intense  agony.  Finally  he  plunged 
his  head  into  a  bowl  of  water  and  was  relieved  by  the 
passing  of  the  spirit  sucked  from  the  sick  person  into 
the  water.  I  must  not  omit  to  mention  that  the  water 
had  been  previously  prepared  for  this  purpose  by 
being  colored  with  red  clay,  in  order  that  the  by- 
standers might  not  see  the  spirit  as  it  came  from  his 
mouth  ;  for  no  human  eye  could  safely  look  upon  it. 
If  the  patient  did  not  find  himself  improved  by  this 
proceeding,  the  medicine  man  concluded  that  some 
animal  must  have  possession  of  the  sick  one,  and 
then  had  recourse  to  his  great  and  final  remedy. 

After  once  more  resting  and  smoking,  he  procured 
a  piece  of  bark  and  marked  upon  it  with  red  clay  a 
picture  of  the  animal  whose  spirit  was  troubling  his 
patient.  He  next  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground  outside 
the  wigwam,  filled  the  hole  with  water  colored  with 
red  clay,  and  immersed  the  piece  of  bark  therein,  ancj 


And  Her  People.  77 

then  returned  to  the  wigwam.  After  many  horrible 
contortions,  accompanied  with  howls  and  a  vigorous 
shaking  of  the  sacred  rattle,  he  plunged  at  the  patient 
with  a  deafening  yell,  and  slapped,  pounded,  and 
rubbed  him  violently  from  head  totoot.  During  this 
rather  vigorous  massage  treatment  he  continued  his 
howls,  contortions,  and  grimaces  until  nearly  ex- 
hausted ;  then  seizing  some  part  of  the  patient's  body 
with  his  teeth,  he  shook  his  head  like  a  dog  killing  a 
rat,  and  pretended  to  tear  out  a  piece  of  the  flesh. 
This  done,  he  put  his  hands  to  the  ground  and  ran  "  on 
all  fours"  out  of  the  wigwam.  There  he  thrust  his 
head  into  the  water  in  which  he  had  placed  the  bark, 
taking  care  to  thoroughly  stir  up  the  red  clay,  so 
that  no  one  should  see  the  animal's  spirit  enter  the 
picture  he  had  made  of  it  on  the  bark.  When  he 
arose  the  bark  floated  upon  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and  he  ordered  some  warrior  relative  of  the  patient 
to  shoot  the  spirit,  which  was  done  by  sending  an 
arrow  through  the  bark.  The  bark  was  burned,  and 
the  medicine  man  took  his  departure. 

If  the  patient  recovered,  the  medicine  man 
received  the  credit,  and  was  exalted  accordingly ;  if 
he  died,  the  medicine  man  admitted  that  he  had 
made  a  wrong  diagnosis ;  had  failed  to  hit  upon  the 
right  animal  ;  that  whereas  he  had  taken  the  spirit 
possessing  the  patient  to  be  that  of  a  beaver,  it  must 
have  been  that  of  a  porcupine,  and  as  he  did  not 
treat  the  patient  for  porcupine,  he  had  died.  Was  it 
a  vision  of  the  bacilli  of  modern  science  that  the 
aboriginal  medicine  man  had  in  his  mind  ? 


78  Wah-kee-nah. 


Usually  none  but  the  relatives  of  the  patient  are 
permitted  to  be  present  during  the  visit  of  the  medi- 
cine man ;  but  by  dint  of  much  persuasion  and  a 
present  of  a  five-point  blanket  to  the  practitioner,  I 
once  obtained  the  privilege  of  seeing  a  man  doctored 
for  a  severe  cold  attended  with  high  fever.  It  was 
an  obstinate  case,  and  all  the  remedies  were  em- 
ployed. The  animal  in  that  patient  was  an  otter, 
and,  strange  to  say,  the  treatment  was  efficacious  ; 
the  patient  recovered,  and  the  medicine  man  often 
boasted  to  me  afterwards  of  his  wonderful  power. 
He  certainly  earned  his  fee,  if  bodily  exertion  and 
fatigue  are  to  be  paid  for. 

But  life  is  not  altogether  rose-colored,  even  for 
the  medicine  man.  It  would  sometimes  happen  that 
he  lost  more  patients  than  he  cured  ;  and  then  the 
superstitions  of  his  tribe  worked  against  him.  In 
such  cases  they  thought  he  had  not  only  lost  his 
power,  but  that  evil  spirits  had  overcome  and  taken 
possession  of  him,  and  that  thereafter  his  sacred 
rattle  would  frighten  away  the  good  spirits  instead 
of  the  evil.  When  this  opinion  became  prevalent, 
the  medicine  man  was  doomed  ;  for  it  was  then  law- 
ful for  relatives  of  any  of  the  patients  he  had  lost  to 
kill  him  on  sight  and  burn  his  rattle,  and  in  most 
cases  some  of  them  did  it. 

Among  some  tribes  the  medicine  man  was  the 
highest  power ;  his  word  was  law.  Among  others 
he  had  the  women  do  the  howling  and  some  young 
man  do  the  rattling  or  else  pound  on  the  tom-tom, 
contenting  himself  with  merely  chanting  incanta- 
tions over  the  sick. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  superstitions  of  the   Indians  extended  to 
other  matters  besides  those  I  have  heretofore 
mentioned.       Mr.   George  Catlin  is   my   au- 
thority for  the  following  story  of  Wi-jun-jon,  whose 
portrait  he  painted. 

Wi-jun-jon  was  the  son  of  the  highest  chief  of  the 
Assiniboins,  a  brave  warrior,  young,  proud,  hand- 
some, and  graceful.  He  had  fought  many  battles; 
many  laurels  were  his,  and  he  had  a  just  claim  to  the 
highest  honors  his  nation  could  bestow.  He  was 
selected  by  Major  Sanford,  Indian  Agent,  to  repre- 
sent his  tribe  in  a  delegation  which  visited  the  city 
of  Washington  in  1832.  He  had  promised  his  people 
that  he  would  count  all  the  white  men's  houses  he 
saw  ;  and  in  accordance  with  this  promise  as  he  came 
to  them  on  his  journey  he  began  registering  their 
number  by  cutting  a  notch  on  the  stem  of  his  pipe 
for  each  house.  At  first  the  cabins  were  few  and  far 
between  and  gave  him  no  trouble  ;  but  they  increased 
in  number  as  he  descended  the  Missouri  River.  Soon 
his  pipe  stem  was  covered  with  notches  and  he  began 
to  notch  his  war  club.  This  was  soon  filled  also,  and 
when  the  boat  stopped  again  Wi-jun-jon  cut  a  long 

79 


8o  Wah-kee-nah 


stick,  peeled  the  bark  from  it,  and  when  the  boat 
started  on  its  way,  began  notching  the  stick.  But 
this  filled  up  rapidly  with  notches,  and  every  time 
the  boat  made  a  landing  he  would  go  ashore  and  get 
more  sticks,  until  at  length  the  accumulation  of 
notched  sticks  began  to  trouble  him.  When  at  last 
the  boat  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  then  a  town  of  about 
fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  Wi-jun-jon  was  com- 
pletely dumbfounded,  and  looked  upon  the  great 
number  of  buildings  in  mute  astonishment.  After 
gazing  awhile  and  evidently  realizing  the  impossi- 
bility of  keeping  up  his  notch  record  any  longer,  he 
bundled  up  his  sticks,  and  with  an  "  Ough!  "  of  dis- 
gust pitched  them  all  overboard. 

After  his  visit  to  Washington,  Mr.  Catlin  accom- 
panied him  to  his  native  country.  Wi-jun-jon  when 
he  returned  to  his  people  was  a  very  different-look- 
ing person  from  the  handsome  young  Indian  Wi-jun- 
jon  as  he  appeared  on  setting  out  to  visit  the  city  of 
the  "  Great  Father."  He  had  exchanged  his  beauti- 
ful Indian  costume  for  a  full-dress  military  suit 
trimmed  with  gold  lace  and  further  adorned  with 
two  immense  epaulettes,  a  shining  black  stock  as 
stiff  as  a  board,  a  pair  of  high-heeled  boots,  a  bright 
red  sash,  a  heavy  sword  dangling  at  his  side,  white 
kid  gloves  upon  his  hands,  and  his  whole  gorgeous 
make-up  surmounted  by  a  tall  beaver  hat  with  a 
broad  silver-lace  band,  and  a  long  red  feather  in  its 
front.  Added  to  all  this  magnificence  was  a  blue-cot- 
ton umbrella  and  a  large  gaudily  painted  fan.  He  had 
also  learned  to  love  the  fire-water  of  the  white  man. 


And  Her  People.  81 

All  this  change  was  brought  on  Wi-jun-jon  by  his 
brief  contact  with  civilization.  Of  course  the  meta- 
morphosis in  his  dress  was  the  work  of  some  white 
man  who  desired  to  possess  his  handsome  Indian 
costume. 

On  reaching  home  in  this  fantastic  garb  he  was 
looked  at  by  the  people  of  his  tribe  in  perfect 
amazement.  After  the  first  salutations  were  over 
he  began  telling  them  of  what  he  had  seen.  At  first 
they  listened  respectfully  and  in  wide-eyed  wonder; 
but  it  was  too  much  for  them.  They  began  calling 
him  a  liar,  and  said  he  had  been  among  the  white 
men,  who  were  all  great  liars,  and  had  become  like 
them.  He  sank  rapidly  into  disgrace,  and  all  his 
prospects  of  advancement  vanished.  He  was  looked 
upon  as  a  great  liar,  a  character  utterly  despicable 
among  the  Indians.  They  called  him  the  greatest 
liar  in  the  nation,  and  every  one  shunned  and 
despised  him. 

After  a  time  he  began  also  to  be  feared,  for  they 
thought  he  must  have  received  some  wonderful 
power  from  the  Evil  Spirit,  to  be  able  to  invent  such 
stories  of  novelty  and  wonder.  Their  awe,  dread, 
and  terror  of  him  became  so  great  that  they  began 
to  conspire  to  rid  the  world  of  a  monster  whose 
superhuman  talents  must  be  cut  off  in  order  to  avert 
dire  calamity  to  the  nation.  They  held  many  con- 
sultations, for  they  were  at  loss  to  know  how  they 
might  kill  him.  Believing  that  an  evil  spirit  had 
possessed  him,  they  thought  he  would  be  proof 
against  any  ordinary  arrow,  lance,  or  bullet.  Finally 

6 


82  Wah-kee-nah 


one  of  the  young  warriors  volunteered  to  undertake 
his  execution.  After  weeks  of  hesitation,  he  had  a 
dream  which  solved  all  his  difficulties.  He  dreamed 
that  he  must  procure  by  stealth  the  handle  of  an  old 
iron  pot  from  the  store  in  the  white  man's  fort,  and 
that  that  implement  would  possess  the  power  to 
overcome  the  evil  spirit.  He  loitered  about  the  fort 
for  many  days,  trying  to  secure  the  coveted  pot- 
handle.  It  would  not  do  to  ask  for  it  or  buy  it ;  to 
be  efficacious  it  must  be  stolen.  At  last  he  was  suc- 
cessful, and,  going  into  the  woods,  he  spent  a  whole 
day  straightening  and  filing  the  handle  so  that  it 
would  fit  into  the  barrel  of  his  gun.  Then  with  his 
weapon  thus  loaded  he  stealthily  approached  his 
victim  from  behind,  placed  the  muzzle  of  the  gun 
close  to  the  back  of  his  head,  and  pulled  the  trigger. 
The  explosion  which  followed  was  like  that  of  a  can- 
non, and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  the  iron  pot-handle 
overcame  the  evil  spirit,  while  the  recoil  nearly  killed 
the  gunner  as  well. 

Thus  miserably  perished  poor  Wi-jun-jon,  a  victim 
to  the  superstition  of  his  people.  Too  much  knowl- 
edge— too  high  a  civilization — had  been  his  undoing. 
The  stories  told  by  him  of  the  sights  he  had  seen 
were  not  exaggerations,  and  it  is  probable  that  had 
he  returned  to  his  tribe  in  his  native  costume  they 
would  in  time  have  come  to  believe  what  he  said,  but 
the  stories  and  the  marvellous  dress  he  wore  were 
utterly  beyond  their  acceptance. 

The  bearing  of  pain,  even  when  most  intense,  with- 
out making  the  slightest  sign,  was  one  of  the  proud 


And  Her  People.  83 

characteristics  of  all  Indian  men.  They  were  taught 
this  from  childhood,  and  some  of  the  tribes  had 
peculiar  methods  of  cultivating  stoicism  in  their 
children. 

A  warrior  who  found  a  hornets'  nest  in  the  woods 
would  inform  the  villagers.  Then  all  the  boys  from 
seven  to  sixteen  years  of  age  would  meet  and  select 
a  leader.  Each  boy  gathered  a  supply  of  sticks  and 
stones,  and  on  the  next  rainy  day  (hornets  are  "  at 
home  "  on  rainy  days)  the  boys,  divested  of  all  their 
clothing,  even  to  their  moccasins,  followed  the  hunter 
guide  and  marched  forth  to  battle  with  the  hornets. 
Many  of  the  older  villagers  accompanied  them  to  see 
the  sport,  but  kept  at  a  respectful  distance  when  the 
battle  began.  When  they  arrived  at  the  spot,  the 
leader  placed  his  young  warriors  in  the  most  advan- 
tageous position  for  the  attack.  When  all  was  ready 
he  gave  the  signal,  and  the  air  was  soon  filled  with 
sticks  and  stones.  It  does  not  take  long  for  hornets 
to  ascertain  whence  such  missiles  come,  whether 
thrown  by  Indians  or  white  boys  (as  I  well  know), 
and  they  at  once  began  the  defence  of  their  castle. 
The  naked  bodies  of  the  boys  afforded  the  hornets 
a  fine  opportunity  for  attack,  and  they  improved  it 
with  a  vigor  known  only  to  hornets.  It  was  con- 
sidered ignominious  for  any  boy  to  retreat  until  the 
nest  was  entirely  demolished.  When  that  had  been 
done  the  leader  gave  the  signal  to  his  victorious  army, 
and  all  returned  to  the  village.  In  case  any  boy  had 
been  stung  about  the  eyes  so  as  to  blind  him,  he  was 
led  home  by  his  companions.  If  a  boy  cried  or 


84  Wah-kee-nah 


showed  other  sign  of  pain  (and  a  hornet's  sting  is 
much  more  painful  than  that  of  a  bee),  his  compan- 
ions and  the  older  warriors  would  cry :  "  Shame, 
shame ;  you  are  a  baby ;  you  are  a  girl ;  you  will 
never  make  a  warrior" — which,  as  we  can  readily 
understand,  had  a  powerful  influence  in  making 
him  apparently  indifferent  to  pain.  The  boys  went 
quickly  to  their  wigwams,  where  their  hurts  were 
dressed  by  their  mothers,  and  they  soon  recovered 
from  the  effects  of  the  campaign. 

Oratory  seems  to  have  received  less  attention 
among  these  tribes  than  among  the  Iroquois.  It  is 
certain  that  there  was  little  occasion  for  its  practice 
in  their  intercourse  with  the  whites,  for  the  latter 
had  become  so  numerous  and  powerful  by  the  time 
they  reached  this  section  of  the  country  that  scant 
ceremony  was  employed  in  taking  the  Indians'  lands. 

There  was,  however,  among  the  Sioux,  a  chief 
named  "  Two  Stars,"  whose  fiery  speech  is  worthy 
of  notice.  The  occasion  was  a  negotiation  of  a  treaty 
between  his  nation  and  the  whites.  In  opposition 
to  the  consummation  of  this  treaty,  "  Two  Stars " 
addressed  his  fellow  chiefs  in  the  following  terms : 

"  I  have  lived  near  the  whites  and  have  never  been 
their  pensioner.  I  have  suffered  from  cold  in  the 
winter,  and  never  asked  clothing ;  from  hunger, 
and  have  never  asked  food.  I  will  live  and  die  on 
the  lands  of  my  forefathers,  without  asking  a  favor 
of  an  enemy.  They  call  themselves  the  friends  of 
the  Sioux.  They  are  our  friends  when  they  want 
our  lands  or  our  furs.  They  are  our  worst  enemies. 


And  Her  People.  85 

They  have  trampled  us  under  foot.  We  do  not  chase 
the  deer  on  the  prairies  as  eagerly  as  they  have 
hunted  us  down.  They  steal  from  us  our  hunting- 
grounds,  and  then  win  us  over  by  fair  words  and 
promises.  They  furnish  us  with  "  fire-water,"  telling 
us  it  is  good.  They  lie.  They  do  this  that  they  may 
steal  our  senses  and  make  us  fools,  so  that  they  may 
get  our  lands  and  furs  for  nothing.  Had  not  our 
warriors  become  women,  and  learned  to  fear  them,  I 
would  gladly  raise  the  war-cry  and  shout  it  in  their 
ears.  The  Great  Spirit  has  indeed  forsaken  his 
children,  when  their  warriors  and  wise  men  talk  of 
yielding  to  their  foes.  I  hate  them." 

One  of  the  tribes  inhabiting  this  section  was  so  un- 
like all  the  others,  that  it  seems  proper  to  give  some 
account  of  the  peculiarities  of  its  members.  This 
tribe,  known  as  the  Mandans,  numbered  only  about 
eighteen  hundred,  and  lived  in  two  villages  about 
three  miles  apart  on  the  bank  of  the  Missouri  River. 
In  the  matter  of  complexion  as  well  as  in  the  color 
and  texture  of  the  hair  the  Mandans  were  unique 
among  all  the  Indians  of  the  continent.  There  is 
that  in  their  traditions  and  language  which  leads  to 
the  belief  that  they  were  descended  from  the  Welsh 
voyager,  Prince  Madoc,  and  his  followers,  who  sailed 
from  their  native  country  in  1170,  and  were  never 
afterwards  heard  from.  It  is  supposed  that  they  sailed 
up  the  Mississippi  River,  and  that  their  vessels  be- 
coming disabled  or  unseaworthy,  they  intermingled 
with  the  natives  and  finally  formed  a  new  tribe. 

The  evidence  in  support  of  this  supposition  is  the 


86  Wah-kee-nah 


hair  and  complexion,  already  spoken  of,  the  fre- 
quency of  blue  eyes  among  them,  and  the  close  re- 
semblance of  many  words  in  their  language  to  the 
Welsh.  A  list  of  these  words  was  made  by  Mr. 
Catlin,  and  when  compared  with  words  in  Welsh 
having  the  same  meaning  the  resemblance  was  so 
apparent  that,  as  he  informs  us,  "  almost  any  theory 
would  be  more  credible  than  that  such  affinity  was 
the  result  of  accident." 

The  Mandan  villages  were  strongly  fortified,  being 
surrounded  from  the  precipitous  bank  of  the  river 
by  a  strong  stockade  of  heavy  logs,  having  a  deep 
ditch  in  front  of  it.  Their  houses  were  partly  sunk 
in  the  ground,  and  were  built  upon  strong  posts  from 
six  to  eight  feet  high,  across  the  tops  of  which  were 
laid  the  beams  which  supported  the  roof.  This  roof 
was  covered  with  clay  and  soil  to  such  a  depth  as  to 
shed  rain  perfectly  and  also  to  render  the  structure 
absolutely  proof  against  the  fire-arrows  of  an  enemy. 
It  was  also  so  strong  as  to  afford  a  favorite  lounging 
place  for  the  occupants  of  the  dwelling.  Mr.  Catlin 
says : 

"  One  is  surprised  when  he  enters  these  houses  to 
see  the  neatness,  comfort,  and  spacious  dimensions 
of  the  earth-covered  dwellings.  They  all  have  a 
circular  form,  and  are  from  forty  to  sixty  feet  in  di- 
ameter. An  excavation  in  the  centre  is  used  as  a  fire- 
place, with  a  hole  in  the  roof  over  it  for  the  escape 
of  smoke.  The  furniture  consists  of  rude  bedsteads, 
with  sacking  of  buffalo  skins,  and  with  an  ornamental 
buffalo  robe  hung  in  front  for  a  curtain.  Between 


And  Her  People.  87 

the  beds  are  posts  with  pegs,  upon  which  the  clothing, 
as  well  as  the  arms  and  accoutrements  of  the  war- 
riors were  hung.  This  arrangement  of  beds,  clothing 
of  different  colors,  furs  and  trinkets  of  various  kinds, 
together  with  the  happy,  story-telling  groups  smok- 
ing their  pipes,  wooing  their  sweethearts,  and  em- 
bracing their  little  ones,  about  the  peaceful  firesides 
surrounded  with  earthen  pots  and  kettles  of  their 
own  manufacture,  presented  one  of  the  most  pic- 
turesque scenes  imaginable." 

In  the  centre  of  each  of  the  villages  was  a  large 
common  in  which  they  exercised  and  trained  their 
horses,  trained  and  played  with  their  dogs,  ran  foot- 
races, and  indulged  in  other  out-of-door  sports. 
Their  costumes  were  brilliant  and  fanciful,  orna- 
mented with  plumes  and  colored  porcupine  quills. 
Those  of  the  wealthy  were  exceedingly  rich.  They 
were  made  entirely  of  skins;  a  coat  of  buck-skin, 
leggins  and  moccasins  of  the  same,  all  beautifully 
fringed  and  embroidered,  and  an  outer  garment  of  a 
young  buffalo's  skin.  The  head-gear  was  very  elabo- 
rate and  highly  ornamental,  being  made  of  ermine 
skins  and  the  feathers  of  the  war  eagle.  Some  of 
the  chiefs  had  attained  a  renown  which  entitled 
them  to  add  to  their  head-dress  a  pair  of  buffalo 
horns,  reduced  in  size  and  weight,  and  arranged  as 
they  grew  upon  the  animal.  The  buffalo  horns  thus 
worn  symbolized  courage  and  power. 

Mr.  Catlin,  who  was  an  artist,  wished  to  paint  the 
portraits  of  some  of  their  chiefs  and  warriors.  At 
first  he  had  much  difficulty  in  inducing  them  to  sit 


88  Wah-kee-nah. 


for  him,  as  Indians  were  naturally  afraid  of  new 
things.  Having,  however,  overcome  these  fears  so 
far  as  to  get  the  portrait  of  one  of  the  chiefs,  they 
were  all  greatly  delighted  until  they  chanced  to  dis- 
cover that  the  eyes  of  the  chief  upon  the  canvas  fol- 
lowed them  wherever  they  went.  This  frightened 
them  exceedingly.  They  could  see  it  was  only  a 
piece  of  cloth,  yet  they  declared  it  had  life  or  it 
could  not  thus  move  its  eyes.  They  concluded  that 
some  portion  of  the  life  of  the  person  represented 
must  have  been  extracted  by  the  painter,  and  that 
consequently  the  life  of  that  one  would  be  shortened 
just  that  much.  They  also  thought  that  inasmuch 
as  the  picture  would  continue  in  existence  after  the 
death  of  the  original,  the  quiet  of  his  grave  might  be 
disturbed.  But  the  artist  finally  succeeded  in  allay- 
ing these  suspicious  fancies,  and  secured  all  the 
sitters  he  wanted. 

The  Mandans  were  cleanly  in  person,  and  there 
were  no  drunkards  or  beggars  among  them.  The 
tribe  is  now  entirely  extinct.  The  smallpox  was 
introduced  among  them  by  some  white  traders, 
and  swept  the  whole  tribe  from  the  face  of  the 
earth.  Other  tribes  suffered  from  the  disease  at 
the  same  time.  Major  Pilcher,  who  was  then  the 
Indian  Superintendent  at  St.  Louis,  estimated  that 
no  less  than  twenty-five  thousand  Indians  perished 
in  that  section  of  the  country  in  the  course  of  four 
or  five  months.  It  can  readily  be  imagined  that 
their  medicine  men  would  have  little  power  to  stay 
the  ravages  of  such  a  disease. 


And  Her  People.  89 

This  section  of  country,  as  well  as  that  to  the 
southward,  was  inhabited  by  vast  herds  of  buffalo 
and  wild  horses.  The  Indians  tamed  great  numbers 
of  these  horses  and  became  expert  horsemen.  In 
order  to  kill  a  buffalo  with  bow  and  arrows  or  lance, 
the  hunter  had  to  be  within  a  few  feet  of  him,  and 
as  both  hands  were  required  to  handle  the  bow,  the 
horses  were  trained  to  guide  by  pressure  of  the  knee 
or  an  inclination  of  the  body.  They  soon  became 
accustomed  to  this,  so  that  the  rider  had  no  difficulty 
in  thus  completely  commanding  their  movements. 

Buffalo  hunting  was  very  exciting,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  size  of  the  game,  but  also  from  the 
danger  involved.  The  speed  of  the  horse  excelled 
that  of  the  buffalo,  but  in  order  to  keep  his  horse 
fresh  the  hunter  approached  the  herd  as  stealthily 
as  possible,  and  when  discovered,  dashed  after  the 
game  at  break-neck  speed.  The  buffalo  seemed  to 
realize  that  it  was  a  race  for  life,  and  exerted  himself 
to  the  utmost ;  the  Indians  used  only  their  fleetest 
and  most  enduring  horses  for  this  work,  for  the 
chase  was  usually  a  long  and  trying  one.  When 
near  enough  for  the  purpose,  the  hunter  aimed  an 
arrow  at  the  heart  of  his  game.  The  bows  used  for 
this  purpose  were  of  tremendous  power,  and  such 
was  the  force  with  which  the  arrow  was  driven,  that, 
although  the  full-grown  buffalo  is  as  large  as  the 
tame  ox,  the  arrow  frequently  passed  completely 
through  the  body. 

But  the  buffalo,  sometimes  before  and  sometimes 
after  being  wounded,  would  turn  with  the  quickness 


90  Wah-kee-nah 


of  thought  upon  the  hunter  and  try  to  impale  him 
with  his  horns.  Against  such  an  attack  the  hunter 
had  to  trust  entirely  to  the  sagacity  and  swift  move- 
ments of  his  horse.  The  quickness  with  which  the 
horse  would  discern  the  slightest  motion  on  the  part 
of  the  buffalo  to  turn  upon  his  pursuer  was  wonder- 
ful. Although  going  at  full  speed,  he  would  always 
be  ready  to  dodge.  The  hunter  must  be  very  expert 
and  agile  to  avoid  being  thrown  by  a  sudden  and 
unexpected  side-spring  of  his  horse  ;  for  if  unhorsed 
he  would  be  gored  and  trampled  to  death  in  a  mo- 
ment by  the  infuriated  buffalo.  The  Indians  some- 
times covered  themselves  with  wolf  skins  and  crept 
within  shooting  distance  of  the  buffalo  on  their 
-hands  and  knees. 

The  catching  of  wild  horses  furnished  these  Indi- 
ans with  fine  sport.  They  used  a  lasso,  or  lariat, 
about  fifty  feet  long,  sometimes  made  of  hair,  but 
usually  of  braided  rawhide,  rubbed  until  it  was  as 
soft  and  pliable  as  rope.  This  they  could  throw 
with  great  precision. 

The  men  and  boys,  and  sometimes  the  more 
courageous  of  the  girls,  had  great  sport  breaking  in 
these  wild  horses  to  ride.  They  fastened  a  rope 
made  of  rawhide  around  the  lower  jaw  of  the  horse 
with  a  "  clove  hitch,"  and  then  blindfolded  him.  They 
next  fastened  another  rope  around  his  body,  leaving  it 
just  loose  enough  for  the  rider  to  put  his  knees  under 
it.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  a  wild  horse  would  not 
stir  while  he  was  blindfolded.  When  the  rider  was 
mounted  and  ready,  the  blind  was  removed ;  the 


And  Her  People.  9  i 

rider  applied  the  whip  or  quirt,  and  away  went  the 
frightened  horse,  bounding  over  the  prairie  like  a 
startled  deer.  The  rider  could  not  be  thrown, 
because  the  rope  over  his  knees  held  him  fast,  yet, 
if  the  horse  should  fall,  he  could  easily  free  himself. 
The  horse  was  guided  by  striking  him  on  either  side 
of  the  head  with  the  whip,  and  when  he  was  nearly 
exhausted  his  rider  would  make  him  return  to  the 
starting-point.  After  a  few  such  experiences  the 
horse  would  be  thoroughly  broken. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  when  the  rider  was 
mounted  and  the  blind  removed,  the  horse,  instead 
of  starting  off  on  a  run,  would  stand  and  jump, 
coming  down  with  his  legs  as  stiff  as  rails.  This 
was  called  "  bucking,"  and  was  great  sport  for  the 
spectators,  but  not  for  the  unfortunate  rider.  The 
terrible  jolting  soon  gave  him  such  a  pain  in  the  side 
that  he  was  glad  to  jump  or  roll  off,  and  his  evolu- 
tions in  the  air  and  scrambling  on  the  ground  to  get 
out  of  the  way  of  the  horse  afforded  much  amuse- 
ment to  his  companions. 

The  Comanche  was  a  daring  horseman.  In  battle 
he  would  hang  at  the  side  of  his  horse  leaving  noth- 
ing except  his  foot  visible  on  the  other  side,  and  at 
the  same  time  fire  his  arrows  at  the  foe  from  under 
his  horse's  neck  while  running  at  full  speed.  He  was 
enabled  to  do  this  by  having  a  short  piece  of  lasso 
passed  around  the  neck  of  his  horse  and  each  end 
firmly  braided  into  the  mane  at  the  withers,  thus 
forming  a  loop  into  which  he  could  slip  his  elbow 
to  sustain  the  weight  of  his  body  while  balancing 


92  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

himself  by  means  of  one  foot  thrown  over  the  horse's 
back.  This  also  enabled  him  at  any  time  to  regain 
his  position.  By  the  use  of  these  tactics  he  was  pro- 
tected by  the  body  of  his  horse  from  the  arrows  of 
the  foe.  In  order  to  kill  him  the  enemy  must  first 
disable  his  horse,  and  while  they  were  doing  that 
the  Comanche  could  get  in  a  good  deal  of  bloody 
work. 

The  Comanches  had  a  different  method  from  that 
already  described  for  breaking  in  the  wild  horses. 
Having  caught  one  with  the  lasso,  they  drew  the 
noose  tight  around  the  captive's  throat,  choking  him 
until  he  fell.  Then  dismounting,  they  blindfolded 
him  and  tied  his  front  feet  together.  After  doing 
this  they  patted  him  and  handled  him  all  over, 
breathed  in  his  nostrils,  and  worked  kindly  with  him 
until  the  horse  became  accustomed  to  the  treat- 
ment ;  and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  in  an  hour  or 
two  they  would  loosen  his  feet,  and  one  of  the  party 
would  mount  and  ride  him  home. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THAT  portion   of   North  America   west  of  the 
Rocky   Mountains   and  north  of  the  thirty- 
third  parallel  was  also  inhabited  by  numerous 
tribes  or  nations  of  Indians,  alike  in  general  aspect, 
but  differing  widely  in  certain  particulars. 

Those  in  the  extreme  north  were  called  Esquimo. 
Indeed,  this  same  race,  each  tribe  varying  but  little 
from  the  others,  occupied  the  entire  northern  portion 
of  the  continent,  from  Greenland  to  Behring  Sea. 
They  were  short  of  stature,  slovenly,  and  untidy. 
Not  so  warlike  as  the  Indians  to  the  south  of  them, 
they  were  very  suspicious  of  strangers,  but  kind  and 
hospitable  after  becoming  acquainted.  Brownell 
says:  "  The  Esquimo  received  little  better  treatment 
at  the  hands  of  the  early  European  discoverers  than 
did  their  brethren  farther  south.  It  is  strange  to 
read  of  the  coolness  with  which  those  adventurers 
speak  of  the  emormities  not  unfrequently  committed 
against  the  unoffending  and  ignorant  natives.  The 
meeting  of  several  '  wild  men '  (as  the  adventurers 
called  them)  and  the  killing  of  one  of  them  to  make 
the  rest  tractable,  is  mentioned  as  a  passing  and 
ordinary  event." 

93 


94  Wah-kee-nah 


The  dwellings  of  the  Esquimo  were  of  two  kinds. 
Those  used  in  summer  were  movable,  and  built  of 
poles  and  skins,  similar  to  those  of  the  southern 
Indians  ;  while  their  winter  habitations  were  con- 
structed of  blocks  of  ice,  cut  and  shaped  with 
astonishing  precision.  They  were  familiar  with  the 
principle  of  the  arch,  and  made  use  of  it  with  the 
key-stone  shaped  in  blocks  of  ice.  These  dwellings 
were  almost  hermetically  tight,  as  all  the  interstices 
between  the  layers  of  ice,  and  the  small  holes  here 
and  there,  were  filled  with  snow,  and  water  was 
dashed  upon  these  until  the  whole  became  one  mass 
of  solid  ice.  They  were  thus  made  quite  warm,  and 
but  for  the  filthy  habits  of  the  people,  they  would 
have  been  comfortable,  notwithstanding  the  in- 
tensely cold  weather.  Thin,  and  nearly  transparent 
cakes  of  ice  were  inserted  here  and  there  in  the  roof 
for  the  admission  of  light.  The  Esquimo  lived  on 
oil  and  blubber  obtained  from  the  whale,  walrus, 
and  seal,  together  with  the  meat  of  the  reindeer, 
musk-ox,  and  water-fowl,  besides  fish.  The  only 
vegetable  foods  they  had  were  a  species  of  willow 
which  they  ground  in  a  mortar,  the  leaves  of  the 
sorrel,  a  few  berries,  and  some  roots  which  they  also 
pounded  up.  The  lean  meat  of  the  whale,  seal,  and 
such  other  as  they  obtained,  was  dried,  smoked,  and 
poundqd  up  with  some  fat  into  a  dry  mixture  called 
"  pemmican,"  which  would  keep  for  use  during  their 
long,  dark  winter. 

They  built  large  canoes  in  which  to  carry  the 
family  and  goods,  and  exhibited  great  dexterity  in 


And  Her  People.  9$ 

the  manufacture  and  management  of  the  style  of 
canoe  called  by  them  "  kaiak."  This  would  carry 
but  one  person.  It  was  a  light,  frail  structure,  hav- 
ing small  pieces  of  wood  for  the  frame,  and  covered 
top  and  bottom,  with  small  seal-skins  so  neatly  and 
strongly  sewed  together  as  to  be  perfectly  water- 
tight above  and  below.  The  structure  was  usually 
twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  long,  two  feet  wide,  and 
about  a  foot  deep.  In  the  centre  a  hole  was  cut 
through  the  skin  just  large  enough  for  a  man  to  get 
in  and  have  his  body  completely  fill  it.  He  used  a 
paddle  with  a  blade  at  each  end.  In  this  frail  craft 
the  Esquimo  would  go  long  distances  out  to  sea  and 
attack  the  seal  with  a  harpoon  having  a  buoy  of  seal- 
skin fastened  to  the  end  of  the  line  to  prevent  the 
seal  from  sinking  when  killed.  In  case  of  a  capsize, 
which  seldom  happened,  the  boatman  could  easily 
right  himself  with  his  paddle.  The  kaiak  was  a  safe 
boat  with  an  Esquimo,  but  woe  to  any  white  man 
who  attempted  its  use. 

The  Esquimo  used  dogs  as  their  beasts  of  burden, 
and  did  all  travelling  with  them  after  the  water  had 
frozen  so  that  they  could  not  go  in  boats.  The  run- 
ners of  their  sleds  were  made  of  pieces  of  wood,  or 
sometimes  of  the  jawbones  of  the  whale,  fastened 
together  at  a  distance  of  about  two  feet  apart,  with 
cross-pieces  and  thongs  upon  which  a  skin  was 
stretched  and  the  load  deposited.  The  dogs  were 
attached  to  separate  tethers  of  different  lengths,  the 
leader  being  sometimes  as  far  as  twenty  feet  from 
the  sledge.  How  they  managed  to  drive  them  in 


96  Wah-kee-nah 


this  way  without  getting  them  entangled  is  a  mys- 
tery to  white  men.  They  used  a  whip  with  a  short 
stock  and  a  lash  long  enough  to  reach  the  leader,  and 
would  make  sixty  miles  a  day  with  a  load  averaging 
one  hundred  pounds  for  each  dog.  They  made  the 
sledge  run  easy  by  turning  it  up  and  pouring  water 
upon  the  runners  and  letting  it  freeze,  thus  forming 
shoes  of  ice.  Great  distances  were  often  travelled 
over  the  frozen  waters,  and  great  loads  transported. 
Snow-shoes  were  also  used  to  some  extent  in 
travelling. 

The  clothing  of  the  Esquimo  consisted  wholly  of 
furs.  The  inner  garments  were  worn  with  the  fur 
next  the  body,  and  the  outer  garments  with  fur  out- 
side. These  garments  were  neatly  and  strongly  sewn 
together,  and  made  quite  ornamental  by  tastefully 
mixing  different  colored  furs  ;  teeth  of  animals  were 
hung  in  the  borders,  and  foxes'  noses  sewed  on  like 
buttons.  They  all  wore  high  waterproof  boots  made 
of  sealskin.  The  women  wore  the  same  kind  of 
underclothing  as  the  men,  while  their  outer  dress 
consisted  of  a  moderately  close-fitting  waist  or  jacket, 
together  with  a  short  skirt  and  trousers.  They  prac- 
tised tattooing,  which  was  done  by  drawing  a  thread 
saturated  with  oil  and  soot  under  the  skin. 

The  only  fires  used  by  the  Esquimo  for  warmth  or 
cooking  were  made  by  suspending  a  piece  of  blubber 
over  a  shallow  stone  dish,  around  the  edge  of  which 
twisted  moss  was  so  placed  as  to  form  a  wick.  The 
heat  extracted  the  oil  from  the  blubber,  and  as  it 
dripped  into  the  dish  a  continual  supply  of  fuel  was 


And  Her  People.  97 

kept  up.  They  kept  the  temperature  of  their  houses 
a  little  below  freezing,  for  if  it  rose  higher  the  roof 
would  be  melted.  Always  accustomed  to  this  tem- 
perature indoors,  they  could  endure  intense  cold 
while  moving  about  outside.  Their  weapons  were 
bows  and  arrows,  lances,  and  harpoons,  all  of  which 
were  quite  ingeniously  made.  As  regards  religion, 
Mr.  Parry  says  :  "  They  do  not  appear  to  have  any 
idea  of  the  existence  of  one  Supreme  Being,  nor, 
indeed,  can  they  be  said  to  entertain  any  notions  on 
this  subject  which  may  be  dignified  with  the  name 
of  religion."  They  had  quite  a  number  of  dances  ; 
and  they  were  not  warlike,  but  quite  domestic  in 
their  habits  and  tastes,  very  contented,  and,  in  their 
way,  happy. 

In  complexion  the  Esquimo  are  fair,  almost  white. 
They  are  of  medium  stature,  good  proportion,  mus- 
cular, and  active,  while  their  feet  and  hands  were 
small  and  of  fine  shape.  They  seldom  mingled  or 
associated  with  any  of  the  tribes  to  the  south,  and 
therefore  have  remained  almost  without  change  from 
generation  to  generation.  They  differed  from  the 
Esquimo  upon  the  eastern  coast  in  disposition  and 
in  their  treatment  of  children.  This  was  perhaps 
due  to  the  fact  that  they  had  not  so  severe  a  struggle 
for  existence  as  did  their  eastern  brethren,  and  hence 
had  more  time  for  leisure  and  amusement.  They 
had  three  months  of  winter,  during  which  time  they 
did  not  see  the  sun  ;  three  months  of  continuous  day 
during  which  the  sun  never  set ;  and  three  months 
of  twilight  at  the  end  of  these  seasons. 


98  Wah-kee-nah 


They  displayed  considerable  ingenuity  in  catching 
game.  For  taking  the  reindeer  they  made  corrals  of 
turf,  rubbish,  or  drift-wood,  and  also  made  piles  of 
turf  to  represent  men,  standing  them  a  short  distance 
apart  in  two  rows  diverging  from  the  mouth  of  the 
corral,  sometimes  to  the  distance  of  two  miles.  They 
then  drove  the  deer  into  the  broad  opening  between 
these  two  rows,  and  followed  them  up  to  the  corral. 
The  deer,  taking  the  piles  of  turf  for  men,  would  not 
attempt  to  pass  out  between  them,  and  were  thus 
driven  into  the  corral,  where  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  escape  the  arrows  of  the  hunters. 

But  their  manner  of  hunting  and  killing  the  polar 
bear  was  unique.  Knowing  the  bear  to  be  fond  of 
blubber,  they  took  a  piece  of  it  as  large  as  a  man's 
fist,  and  after  letting  it  freeze  hollowed  out  the  cen- 
tre sufficiently  to  admit  a  strip  of  whalebone  coiled 
into  a  spring.  This  was  covered  with  more  blubber 
and  the  whole  again  frozen.  Dressing  themselves  to 
look  like  seals  (the  bear's  favorite  food)  the  hunters 
took  several  of  these  frozen  balls  and  started  out. 
When  a  bear  was  discovered  they  approached  near 
enough  for  him  to  see  them.  As  he  began  to  creep 
stealthily  toward  them  they  slowly  retreated,  drop- 
ping a  number  of  the  balls  in  such  a  way  that  the  bear 
in  following  them  must  surely  come  upon  the  balls. 
Bruin  seeing  these  delicate  morsels  swallowed  them 
whole  and  continued  his  stealthy  chase  of  the  sup- 
posed seals.  But  he  did  not  progress  far  before  the 
blubber  melted  and  released  the  whalebone  springs. 
These  new  "  works  "  in  his  internal  economy  soon 


And  Her  People.  99 

put  him  in  such  agony  that  he  rolled  and  tumbled 
upon  the  ice,  and  became  an  easy  victim  to  the 
weapons  of  the  hunters. 

The  young  Esquimo  who  desired  to  marry  had 
first  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  mother  of  the  girl 
he  wished  to  woo,  after  which  he  was  at  liberty  to 
present  her  with  furs  for  a  suit  of  clothes.  If  she 
accepted  the  gift  the  act  constituted  a  formal  en- 
gagement ;  and  when  she  made  up  the  furs  and  put 
them  on  she  became,  without  further  ceremony  or 
formality,  his  wife. 

The  Koniagas  lived  to  the  southward  of  the  Es- 
quimo. They  were  much  larger  in  stature  than  the 
Esquimo,  and  their  skin  was  much  whiter  than  that 
of  the  Indians  farther  south.  They  were  also  well 
formed,  and  would  have  been  fine-looking  but  for 
the  horrible  fashion  they  had  of  deforming  their  ears, 
nose,  and  under  lip  with  what  they  considered 
ornaments. 

The  dress  of  the  poorer  class  among  the  Koniagas 
was  made  of  skins  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  the 
Esquimo ;  but  some  who  were  in  better  circum- 
stances wore  a  garment  called  a  "  parka."  This  was 
a  cloak,  made  of  bird  skins  neatly  sewed  together. 
It  required  as  many  as  a  hundred  skins  to  make  a 
parka.  As  needles  they  used  certain  bones  from 
fish,  and  it  was  surprising  to  see  what  fine  work  they 
did  with  only  bits  of  sinew  for  thread.  The  parka 
was  fringed  and  ornamented  at  top  and  bottom,  but 
the  elaborate  work  was  upon  the  girdle  about  the 
waist.  This  was  beautifully  embroidered.  Only  the 


IOO  Wah-kee-nah 


rich  could  afford  this  kind  of  garment.  If  caught 
out  in  bad  weather  in  this  their  gala  dress  they  pro- 
tected the  feathers  with  a  waterproof  cloak  made 
from  the  intestines  of  the  walrus  and  seal,  tanned, 
rubbed  pliable,  and  sewed  together  so  neatly  as  to 
be  impervious  to  water,  even  at  the  seams.  They 
also  made  high  boots  of  the  skin  from  the  neck  of 
the  seal,  and  soled  them  with  the  thick  skin  of  the 
whale.  These  boots  were  also  waterproof  and  very 
strong. 

They  had  no  marriage  ceremony.  Marriage  was  a 
simple  agreement  between  the  parties,  and  as  soon 
as  it  was  approved  by  the  father  of  the  maiden  the 
lovers  became  husband  and  wife. 

The  Aleuts  inhabited  the  Aleutian  Archipelago, 
and  numbered  twenty-two  different  clans,  or  divi- 
sions, nearly  every  island  having  its  own  clan.  Our 
earliest  knowledge  of  them  comes  from  the  Russian 
explorer,  Novodsikoff,  who  visited  the  archipelago 
in  1745.  As  soon  as  he  returned  to  his  native  land 
and  published  the  story  of  the  wonderful  number 
and  variety  of  fur-bearing  animals  he  found  there, 
the  waters  in  that  region  became  alive  with  Russian 
adventurers.  They  swarmed  upon  the  islands,  laid 
tribute  upon  the  Indians,  and  treated  them  so  cruelly 
and  wickedly  that  their  numbers  were  quickly 
reduced  from  ten  thousand  to  barely  a  thousand. 

In  appearance  the  Aleuts  resembled  the  Koniagas. 
Their  features  were  strongly  marked,  and  those  who 
saw  them  as  they  originally  appeared  were  impressed 
with  the  intelligent  and  benevolent  expression  of 


And  Her  People.  i  o  i 

their  faces.  A  missionary  who  lived  ten  years  among 
them  says  that  during  all  that  time  there  was  not  a 
single  fight  among  the  natives.  This  is  evidence  of 
the  quiet  and  peaceful  disposition  which  rendered 
them  an  easy  prey  to  the  Russian  invaders.  Their 
dress  was  similar  to  that  of  the  Koniagas,  with  the 
addition  of  a  high  peaked  hat,  made  of  wood  or 
leather.  This  hat  had  a  long  brim  in  front  to  pro- 
tect the  eyes  of  the  wearer  from  the  glare  of  the  sun 
upon  the  water  and  snow,  and  was  ornamented  at 
the  back  by  hanging  upon  it  the  beards  of  sea-lions. 
The  front  was  usually  carved  to  represent  some  ani- 
mal. They  lived  during  the  long  winter  in  permanent 
houses,  but  in  the  summer  a  canoe  turned  bottom 
upward  formed  their  only  shelter.  They  built  their 
canoes  of  skins  in  the  same  way  as  the  Esquimo. 
Good  planks  and  boards  were  made  by  them  by 
splitting  cedar  logs  and  working  the  slabs  down 
straight  and  smooth  with  the  aid  of  fire,  stone  axes, 
and  stone  scrapers. 

They  made  much  use  of  this  kind  of  lumber  in 
building  their  winter  houses,  and  in  constructing 
traps  for  bears.  To  make  a  bear-trap  they  took  a 
plank  about  two  feet  square  and  drove  firmly  into  it 
many  sharp  bones,  upon  the  projecting  ends  of 
which  a  barb  had  been  cut.  They  then  buried  the 
plank  thus  prepared  under  leaves  and  other  light 
rubbish  in  the  track  of  the  bear.  When  the  unsus- 
pecting animal  stepped  upon  it,  his  great  weight 
drove  the  barbed  bones  deep  into  his  foot ;  the  pain 
at  once  caused  him  to  use  the  other  foot  to  relieve. 


IO2  Wah-kee-nah 


the  first,  and  that  soon  became  fastened  also.  Next 
the  hind  feet  came  to  relieve  those  already  impris- 
oned, and  it  was  not  long  until  he  was  a  prisoner 
with  all  four  feet  pinned  to  the  plank,  and  an  easy 
prey  to  the  hunters  who  had  been  watching  the 
trap. 

The  Aleuts  had  some  religious  ceremonies,  the 
women  taking  the  most  active  part  in  them.  In  the 
winter  they  were  accustomed  to  amuse  themselves 
by  a  variety  of  games.  Among  these,  one  of  the 
greatest  favorites  was  an  imitation  of  the  chase,  in 
which  one  party  of  young  men  and  maidens  acted 
the  part  of  hunters,  and  another  party  that  of  game. 

By  some  historians  the  Esquimo,  Koniagas,  and 
Aleuts  are  all  called  Esquimo.  I  do  not,  however, 
concur  in  so  classing  them.  It  is  true  that  there  are 
many  points  of  resemblance  ;  but  they  differed  very 
materially  in  stature,  in  features,  and  in  language  ; 
many  of  their  customs  were  different ;  they  did  not 
associate  or  intermarry  with  each  other ;  and  they 
were  occasionally  at  war. 

The  next  large  family,  or  tribe,  to  the  southward 
were  the  Thlinkeets ;  and  whatever  may  be  the  pre- 
vailing opinion  in  regard  to  the  three  tribes  just 
mentioned,  the  Thlinkeets  were  so  different  from 
any  of  the  three  that  they  cannot  with  any  propriety 
be  classed  as  Esquimo. 

The  Thlinkeets  inhabited  a  vast  territory  of  which 
the  climate  as  a  whole  was  temperate,  or  not  subject 
to  any  great  extremes  either  of  heat  or  cold.  These 
conditions  led  to  more  extended  wanderings  and  a 


And  Her  People.  1 03 

greater  amount  of  physical  exercise,  and  tended  to 
expand  the  mind  and  develop  the  body.  The  skin 
of  the  Thlinkeets  was  much  whiter  than  that  of  the 
Indians  who  lived  farther  south  ;  and  if  they  had  not 
distorted  their  features  by  piercing  their  ears,  nose, 
and  lips,  and  filling  them  with  bones  and  shells,  they 
would  have  been  quite  comely,  for  nature  had  done 
much  to  make  them  so.  But  this  hideousness  was 
called  beautiful  by  them  ;  and  the  Thlinkeet  girl  who 
aspired  to  be  a  belle  must  wear  as  many  of  these 
"  decorations "  as  possible,  and  the  larger  the  lip 
ornament  the  more  beautiful  she  was  esteemed. 
Slave  women  and  their  children  were  not  allowed 
the  privilege  of  having  their  ears,  nose,  or  lips  pierced, 
and  some  of  them  were  really  handsome. 

The  Thlinkeets  made  their  canoes  of  wood,  usually 
of  the  white  cedar,  which  grows  plentifully  and  of  large 
size  all  over  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  conti- 
nent. They  were  skilled  in  the  manufacture  of  war 
implements,  bows  and  arrows,  lances,  shields,  flint 
knives,  etc.  Their  arrows  and  lances  were  tipped 
with  flint,  or,  sometimes  with  copper,  as  that  metal 
was  found  in  their  country  and  they  knew  how  to 
work  it  to  some  extent.  In  case  a  point  was  lost 
from  an  arrow  or  a  lance,  and  they  had  not  the  op- 
portunity to  replace  it,  they  would  harden  the  end 
by  putting  it  into  the  fire,  and  then  scrape  it  to  a 
point.  They  also  showed  much  ingenuity  in  the 
manufacture  of  domestic  implements  from  stone, 
wood,  and  grasses.  They  made  baskets  so  thick  and 
closely  plaited  that  they  would  hold  water.  In  such 


1 04  Wah-kee-nah 


a  basket  they  cooked  their  food,  making  the  water 
boil  by  putting  in  heated  stones.  From  black  slate 
they  made  bowls,  pipes,  and  other  utensils.  The 
carving  on  their  pipes  was  unique  and  beautiful.  I 
have  seen  some  of  these  as  much  as  fifteen  or  eigh- 
teen inches  in  length,  three  or  four  inches  broad,  and 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  which  were 
one  continuous  mass  of  carvings  of  animals,  birds, 
and  men,  the  whole  held  together  by  the  ingenious 
intertwining  of  the  arms,  legs,  and  bodies  of  the  dif- 
ferent figures.  Frequently  the  heads  of  the  men  and 
animals  were  carved  in  ivory  and  cemented  into  the 
neck  of  the  stone  figure  cut  in  the  pipe. 

Their  marriage  was  by  agreement,  and  presents 
were  exchanged.  The  ceremony  consisted  of  a  gen- 
eral assembling  of  the  friends  of  the  contracting  par- 
ties at  a  grand  feast.  Presents  were  distributed,  and 
when  the  feast  was  over  the  bride  and  groom  joined 
hands  and  seated  themselves  upon  one  bench.  They 
were  then  married  ;  but  this  was  only  the  beginning 
of  their  troubles.  Custom  required  them  to  fast  two 
days ;  then,  after  taking  a  little  food,  to  fast  two 
days  more,  after  which  they  associated  together  only 
in  the  same  way  as  they  had  done  prior  to  their  mar- 
riage. This  they  were  obliged  to  endure  for  four 
weeks,  at  the  end  of  which  they  could  begin  living 
together  as  husband  and  wife. 

The  Thlinkeets  were  fond  of  music,  and  indulged 
in  much  dancing  in  the  winter.  They  burned  their 
dead,  placing  their  ashes  in  a  box  on  platforms  ele- 
vated upon  poles.  They  also  showed  them  great 


And  Her  People. 


105 


reverence,  and  made  grand  feasts  a  part  of  the 
funeral  ceremony.  They  were  cruel  to  prisoners 
and  slaves,  and  were  inveterate  gamblers ;  but  they 
were  brave,  intelligent,  and  industrious,  and  very 
respectful  to  the  aged  and  to  women. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  Tinneh  family  comprised  thirty-four  dif- 
ferent tribes,  some  large  and  powerful,  and 
some  small.  They  inhabited  a  large  section  of 
the  country  to  the  eastward  of  that  occupied  by  the 
tribes  last  mentioned.  Their  lands  did  not  reach  the 
Arctic  Ocean,  and  barely  touched  the  Pacific  at 
Cook's  Inlet.  They  differed  but  slightly  from  the 
Thlinkeets. 

Among  the  tribes  of  the  Tinneh  family  marriages 
were  unaccompanied  by  any  ceremony,  and  were 
made  either  by  agreement  between  the  parties  or  by 
purchase  of  the  maiden.  If  made  by  purchase,  the 
girl  had  nothing  whatever  to  say  about  the  matter, 
but  must  go  with  the  purchaser,  no  matter  what  her 
feelings  toward  him  might  be.  Many  a  Tinneh  girl 
has  taken  her  own  life  rather  than  become  a  wife  to 
the  man  who  bought  her. 

These  tribes  had  all  their  dances  at  night  as  there 
prevailed  among  them  a  strong  superstition  against 
dancing  in  the  sunlight.  They  were  an  indolent 
people,  but  hospitable  and  amusement-loving.  The 
finger  nails  of  their  female  children  were  never  cut 
until  they  had  reached  the  age  of  four  years,  lest 
they  should  grow  up  to  be  lazy  women.  Lazy 

106 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.          107 

women  were  not  tolerated  in  Indian  society.  The 
case  was  somewhat  different  with  the  men. 

The  "  hiaqua" — a  shell  shaped  like  an  elephant's 
tusk,  but  only  about  one  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thick- 
ness at  the  base,  and  from  one  to  two  and  a  half 
inches  long — constituted  their  currency,  as  it  did 
also  that  of  the  Indians  of  the  coast.  Every  one  ob- 
tained as  many  as  possible  of  these  shells  the  same 
as  white  people  accumulate  dollars.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  to  two  hundred  hiaquas  would  buy  as  fine 
a  girl  as  there  was  in  the  tribe  for  a  wife  ;  from  fifty 
to  seventy-five  would  buy  a  female  slave,  and  an 
addition  of  twenty-five  hiaquas  would  make  a  sum 
sufficient  to  buy  a  man  slave. 

A  person  who  had  killed  another,  either  by  acci- 
dent or  design,  was  safe  from  the  vengeance  of  the 
relatives  of  the  murdered  one  if  he  could  get  into 
the  wigwam  of  a  chief,  provided  the  chief  would 
allow  him  to  remain  there ;  and  if  he  was  permitted 
to  wear  some  part  of  the  chief's  clothing,  he  was 
safe  so  long  as  he  had  that  on,  regardless  of  where 
he  was.  This  gave  him  time  usually  to  negotiate 
with  the  relatives  of  the  person  he  had  killed,  and, 
by  a  payment  of  goods  or  hiaquas,  to  save  himself 
harmless.  This  custom  had  a  great  tendency  to 
strengthen  the  power  of  the  chief ;  as  every  one 
desired  to  have  his  good-will,  so  that  should  he  or 
one  of  his  relatives  under  any  circumstances  kill  any 
person,  the  chief,  recognizing  his  friendship,  would 
not  turn  him  from  the  asylum  of  his  wigwam,  should 
he  flee  to  it  for  protection, 


io8  Wah-kee-nah 


The  Tinneh  tribes,  like  the  Thlinkeets,  were  in- 
veterate gamblers,  frequently  staking  all  they  pos- 
sessed— even  their  wives.  Their  principal  game  was 
played  with  marked  beaver  teeth.  These  were 
thrown  into  the  air,  and  those  that  fell  with  the 
marks  up  counted.  They  had  other  games  for  gam- 
bling, one  of  which  was  hiding  sticks. 

Among  these  tribes,  if  the  medicine  man  did  not 
heal  the  sick  one,  he  was  obliged  to  return  the  fee 
which  had  been  paid  him.  Slavery  existed  in  its 
worst  forms.  Upon  the  death  of  a  slave-owner,  one 
or  more  of  his  slaves  were  killed  to  accompany  him 
and  wait  upon  him  in  the  spirit  land.  In  the  case  of 
a  chief,  two  at  least  were  sacrificed. 

They  burned  their  dead,  and,  strangely,  they  had 
a  custom  similar  to  that  which  formerly  prevailed  in 
India  in  regard  to  the  widow.  She  was  compelled 
to  mount  the  burning  pile  upon  which  lay  her  hus- 
band's body  and  throw  herself  upon  him  ;  but  she 
was  allowed  to  escape  after  her  hair  had  been  burned 
off.  After  escaping  from  the  funeral  pyre  she  was 
obliged,  regardless  of  pain,  to  tend  and  keep  it  burn- 
ing. After  the  body  was  consumed  the  ashes  were 
gathered  and  placed  in  a  bag  which  was  carried  con- 
stantly by  the  widow  for  two  years.  During  all  this 
time  she  must  dress  in  rags  and  mourn  her  loss. 
When  the  period  of  her  mourning  had  expired,  the 
bag  of  ashes  was  buried,  the  people  of  her  village 
made  a  feast  for  her,  and  thenceforth  she  was  free 
to  marry  again  if  she  desired. 

These    Indians   possessed    many    good    qualities. 


And  Her  People.  109 

They  were  brave,  frank,  and  candid,  and  were  also 
strong  and  fine-looking.  Considerable  attention  was 
given  by  them  to  personal  cleanliness.  Most  of  the 
men  were  above  six  feet  in  height,  and  the  women 
were  comely.  The  Chinese  custom  of  bandaging  the 
feet  of  the  female  infants  to  make  them  small  pre- 
vailed among  them  to  some  extent.  The  women 
outlived  the  men  by  an  average  of  fifteen  years. 
They  made  pottery  from  clay,  moulding  it  by  hand, 
drying  it  in  the  sun,  and  afterwards  baking  it  in  the 
fire.  They  made  a  good  quality  of  glue  from  the 
feet  of  the  elk  and  deer.  Their  canoes  were  made 
of  strips  of  bark  sewed  together  with  fine  roots 
pounded  to  fibre,  and  the  seams  were  made  tight  by 
means  of  pitch  from  fir  and  spruce  trees. 

The  men  of  these  tribes,  by  means  of  their  size 
and  strength,  were  famous  warriors.  In  long  marches 
and  hand-to-hand  contests  these  qualities  were  of 
great  advantage  to  them.  Like  most  Indians,  they 
had  three  general  reasons  for  going  to  war ;  first,  re- 
venge for  some  real  or  fancied  injury ;  second,  avarice, 
which  impelled  them  to  capture  slaves  to  use  or  sell; 
and,  third,  to  weaken  their  enemies  by  destroying 
their  resources.  This  last  was  their  reason  for  killing 
the  women  and  children  of  their  foemen,  when  they 
could  not  make  them  prisoners  ;  for,  they  argued,  the 
women,  if  left  alive,  would  bear  children,  and  the  male 
children  would  eventually  become  warriors,  whom 
they  would  some  time  have  to  fight.  We  must  admit 
the  soundness  of  their  logic,  however  much  we  may 
question  the  system  of  ethics  on  which  it  was  based. 


1 1  o  Wah  -kee-  nah 


Returning  to  the  coast,  the  next  nation  of  note 
south  of  the  Thlinkeets  was  that  of  the  Haidahs, 
whose  principal  tribes  inhabited  Queen  Charlotte's 
Island  and  the  adjacent  coast  of  the  mainland.  They 
numbered  some  thirty  different  tribes  in  their  family, 
and  occupied  a  country  about  three  hundred  miles 
long  by  one  hundred  miles  wide.  Their  country  was 
divided  from  that  of  the  eastern  Indians  by  the  Cas- 
cade Mountains,  which  range  extends  north  and 
south  through  British  America,  down  to  and  into 
California,  at  a  distance  of  one  hundred  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  from  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The 
climate  differed  materially  on  the  east  and  west  sides 
of  this  mountain  range,  and  this  fact  had  a  marked 
effect  upon  the  Indians  inhabiting  the  two  sections. 
On  the  west,  from  the  foothills  to  the  coast,  the 
temperature,  owing  to  the  warm  currents  of  the 
ocean,  never  reached  extremes  of  either  heat  or  cold. 
In  this  equable  climate  there  was  little  to  incite  the 
people  to  any  great  exertion.  Hence  it  was  that, 
although  the  country  was  finely  wooded  and 
abounded  in  game,  the  Haidahs  hunted  but  little — 
just  enough  to  furnish  skins  for  clothing  and  bed- 
ding. Fish  were  abundant  in  the  ocean  and  the 
rivers,  and  as  it  was  quite  in  accord  with  the  indo- 
lent habits  of  these  people  to  subsist  on  that  which 
was  obtained  with  least  exertion,  their  food  con- 
sisted principally  of  fish,  berries,  and  roots.  The 
women  and  female  slaves  gathered  and  dried  the 
berries  for  winter  use,  while  the  men  and  male  slaves 
caught  the  fish  and  turned  them  over  to  the  women  to 


And  Her  People.  1 1 1 

be  cared  for.  The  heads  and  tails  of  the  salmon  and 
halibut  were  cut  off  and  eaten  during  the  summer, 
while  their  bodies  were  split  in  two  and  hung  up  in 
the  sun  and  smoked  to  cure  for  winter  use.  They 
knew  nothing  of  salt  until  the  whites  came,  and  even 
then  preferred  fish  dried  without  it.  The  climate 
was  so  mild  that  they  did  not  need  to  feed  their 
bodily  furnaces  with  the  fat  of  blubber,  as  did  the 
Esquimo  ;  so  this  was  only  used  for  fire  and  light. 

They  hunted  the  whale,  because  its  blubber,  oil, 
and  bone  were  available  in  traffic  with  their  northern 
neighbors.  With  these  they  could  purchase  slaves 
and  skins.  They  were  the  most  expert  whale  fishers 
upon  the  coast.  This  showed  them  to  be  as  cour- 
ageous and  enterprising  as  the  inland  tribes  who 
lived  by  hunting ;  for  it  required  no  less  skill  and 
daring  to  capture  the  whale  in  his  native  element 
than  to  kill  the  bear,  panther,  and  elk  in  the  forest. 
Both  occupations  seemed  to  have  an  elevating  effect 
upon  the  faculties  of  the  Indians  who  pursued  them; 
for  they  were  certainly  superior,  mentally  as  well  as 
physically,  to  those  Indians  who  lived  solely  by 
fishing  in  inland  waters. 

The  Haidahs  were  tall  and  well  formed,  the  peers 
in  personal  appearance  of  any  Indians  on  the  coast. 
They  were  quite  light  of  complexion,  some  of  them 
being  almost  as  fair  as  Europeans,  with  hair  of  a 
light  brown  instead  of  the  usual  black  of  other  tribes. 
They  frequently  wore  the  hair  short,  to  save  the 
labor  of  taking  care  of  it.  Poole  says  of  them  that 
"some  of  the  women  have  exceedingly  handsome 


112  Wah-kee-nah 


faces  and  symmetrical  figures,"  and  that  he  was 
"  impressed  by  the  manly  beauty  and  bodily  propor- 
tions of  the  Queen  Charlotte  Islanders."  Vancouver 
says :  "  The  prominence  of  their  countenances  and 
the  regularity  of  their  features  resembled  the  north- 
ern Europeans."  Dunn  says  that  he  saw  "  a  chief 
of  gigantic  proportions,  stately  air,  manly  bearing, 
and  all  the  external  characteristics  of  dignity,  with  a 
symmetrical  figure  and  a  perfect  order  of  European 
contour."  I  have  seen  some  of  these  Indians  whose 
race  would  not  be  suspected  in  a  company  of  whites 
by  reason  of  any  difference  in  color  or  in  contour  of 
features,  and  whom  it  would  require  close  inspection 
to  recognize  as  Indians,  if  dressed  in  the  garb  of  the 
white  man. 

Some  of  their  houses  were  built  on  the  tops  of 
posts,  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  high.  Access  was 
gained  to  such  houses  by  means  of  a  ladder  formed 
of  a  log  or  small  tree,  in  which  deep  notches  were 
cut.  The  posts  were  often  carved  to  represent  gro- 
tesque human  figures,  beasts,  or  birds.  Such  posts 
have  been  mistaken  for  idols  by  early  discoverers, 
but  it  is  now  certain  that  no  form  of  idolatry  ever 
existed  among  these  Indians.  Vancouver  saw  one 
of  their  houses  that  was  built  on  a  platform  thirty 
feet  from  the  ground.  The  house  was  forty-five  feet 
wide  and  one  hundred  and  five  feet  long,  with  a 
nearly  flat  roof  raised  ten  or  twelve  feet  above  the 
platform.  This  was  made  of  planks  split  from  cedar 
trees.  They  did  not,  however,  build  all  their  houses 
in  the  air.  Many  of  them  were  much  smaller,  and 


And  Her  People.  1 1 3 

built  on  the  ground.  This  was  the  method  of  build- 
ing in  many  of  their  villages,  when  the  dwellings 
stood  in  rows  similar  to  those  in  a  city  street.  They 
had  also  other  styles  of  architecture.  Poole  mentions 
a  house  fifty  feet  square  and  fifty  in  height,  ten  feet 
of  which  was  under  ground.  The  houses  built  upon 
elevated  platforms  were  supposed  to  be  for  refuge 
in  case  of  an  attack. 

The  weapons  of  the  Haidahs  were  well  made,  and 
were  of  much  the  same  style  as  those  of  others  that 
have  been  described.  The  harpoon  with  which  they 
captured  the  whale  or  seal  was  ingeniously  contrived. 
A  thong  was  tied  around  the  centre  of  the  barb  and 
extended  to  the  handle,  some  four  or  five  feet  from 
its  lower  end  ;  and  when  the  point  had  penetrated 
the  skin  of  the  animal,  a  sharp  pull  on  the  thong 
served  to  turn  the  barb  sidewise  in  the  flesh,  and 
prevented  its  tearing  out.  The  spears  used  for 
taking  salmon  and  halibut  were  much  smaller,  but 
supplied  with  the  same  device.  These  people  had  at 
the  time  the  whites  first  came  among  them  a  few 
harpoons,  spears,  and  arrow-heads  tipped  with  iron, 
and  it  has  been  a  matter  of  much  speculation  where 
they  obtained  the  metal  for  this  purpose.  The  oldest 
men  among  them  could  not  tell  where  it  came  from  ; 
but  simply  said  they  had  always  had  it.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  it  came  from  Russia  or  from  wrecks  along 
the  coast.  The  Haidahs  made  bows  from  the  wood 
of  the  yew  tree,  gluing  strips  of  sinew  over  the  back 
to  give  additional  strength  and  elasticity.  I  have  in 
my  possession  one  of  these  bows  with  which  I  have 


114  Wah-kee-nah 


seen  an  Indian  throw  an  arrow  nearly  a  thousand 
feet.  They  made  strong  serviceable  fishing-nets 
from  wild  hemp  and  the  fibre  of  cedar  bark.  Their 
household  utensils,  which  were  quite  numerous,  were 
made  of  wood,  bone,  stone,  and  horn.  Like  the 
Thlinkeets,  they  carved  beautiful  pipes  from  stone 
and  ivory,  excelling  in  this  art  all  other  tribes.  They 
used  both  ivory  and  pearl  for  inlaying  these  pipes. 

The  thing  for  which  these  Indians  were  most  noted 
however,  was  the  size  and  beauty  of  their  canoes.  It 
was  really  surprising  to  see  what  they  could  do  in 
this  line,  with  their  rude  tools.  Having  selected 
such  a  tree  as  they  wanted  to  use  for  the  canoe,  they 
felled  it  by  burning,  and  cut  off  the  trunk  to  the 
proper  length,  again  utilizing  fire  for  the  purpose. 
If  the  canoe  was  to  be  a  comparatively  small  one, 
they  would,  before  proceeding  further,  split  the  log 
through  the  centre,  using  wooden  or  elk-horn  wedges 
for  the  purpose.  But  if  they  were  building  a  large 
canoe,  they  would,  without  splitting  the  log,  build 
fires  in  several  places  on  the  upper  side  of  it  as  it  lay 
on  the  ground,  allowing  the  burning  to  go  on  until 
enough  of  the  wood  was  charred  to  begin  the  process 
of  cutting  out  with  stone  axes,  chisels,  and  scrapers. 
This  burning,  digging,  and  scraping  was  continued, 
both  inside  and  out,  until  the  canoe  was  fashioned 
to  their  liking.  The  skill  and  ingenuity  displayed 
in  the  whole  process  was  remarkable.  Not  only 
would  the  canoe  be  most  graceful  in  shape,  but  of  a 
perfectly  even  thickness,  not  exceeding  one  inch  at 
the  sides  and  two  inches  at  the  bottom,  and  the 


And  Her  People.  \  1 5 

whole  so  nicely  balanced  that  it  would  of  itself  ride 
the  water  on  a  perfectly  even  keel.  In  the  case  of 
extra  large  canoes,  the  prow  and  stern  were  made  of 
separate  pieces,  extending  much  above  the  sides  and 
strongly  fastened  with  dowel  pins  and  bark  or  sinew 
lacings.  Usually  the  prow  and  stern  were  artisti- 
cally carved,  after  some  animal,  fish,  or  bird,  the  prow 
representing  the  head  and  the  stern  the  tail.  These 
carvings  were  sometimes  very  elaborate,  especially 
on  the  largest  war  canoes,  and  when  painted  in  their 
fantastic  style  presented  an  appearance  both  for- 
midable and  grotesque.  They  were  propelled  with 
single-bladed  paddles,  each  oarsman  having  one. 
They  had  canoes  from  a  size  only  sufficient  to  carry 
one  man,  up  to  a  size  that  would  carry  seventy-five 
to  a  hundred.  I  once  counted  sixty-eight  men  and 
several  women  and  children  in  one  of  their  larger 
canoes,  and  there  was  not  the  slightest  suggestion  of 
its  being  overloaded.  They  did  not  hesitate  at  all 
about  going  out  upon  the  ocean  in  these  boats,  and 
they  navigated  the  coast  for  long  distances.  They 
had  no  knowledge  of  sails  and  their  use,  until  taught 
by  the  whites. 

In  the  matter  of  musical  instruments  they  had  a 
drum  similar  to  that  used  by  other  Indians ;  a  tam- 
bourine, made  by  stretching  a  wet  skin  over  hoops 
of  different  sizes  and  thus  letting  it  dry ;  and  a  flute 
made  from  slate  stone.  They  drilled  a  hole  through 
the  entire  length  of  the  stone,  by  means  of  a  piece 
of  sharp  flint  secured  to  the  end  of  a  reed  or  rounded 
stick.  The  slate  used  by  them  was  quite  soft  when 


Ii6  Wah-kee-nah 


first  taken  from  its  bed,  and  yielded  easily  to  the  drill. 
Poole  says  he  "  saw  a  flute,  two  of  the  keys  repre- 
senting frogs  in  a  sitting  posture,  the  carving  of 
which  would  have  done  credit  to  an  European 
modeller."  Simpson  says  that  he  found  "  very  accu- 
rate charts  of  the  adjacent  Pacific  coasts  made  by 
this  tribe."  Hale  says  they  had  "very  fine  cups, 
plates,  pipes,  little  images,  and  various  ornaments, 
wrought  with  surprising  elegance  and  taste."  This 
artistic  skill  and  knowledge  of  practical  drawing 
show  that  these  people  were  capable  of  making  very 
material  advances  in  civilization. 

There  was  in  their  country  a  peculiar  breed  of 
white  dogs  with  very  long'  hair.  These  dogs  the 
Indians  sheared  each  year,  like  sheep,  and  the  hair 
thus  obtained,  when  mixed  with  the  fibre  of  wild 
hemp  and  cedar  roots,  was  woven  into  blankets  and 
robes  of  very  good  quality.  The  fibre  spoken  of  was 
made  by  first  boiling  the  hemp  or  cedar  roots  and 
then  pounding  between  flat  stones.  The  woody  part 
thus  separated,  was  carefully  picked  out,  after  which 
the  fibre  was  twisted  into  fine  or  coarse  threads  as 
desired.  Their  method  of  weaving  closely  resembled 
that  of  the  old  Egyptians. 

Among  the  Haidahs  the  chieftaincies  were,  as  in 
many  other  tribes,  mostly  hereditary ;  from  which  it 
sometimes  happened  that  a  woman  became  a  chief. 

A  superstition  prevailed  among  them  that  all  well- 
starred  marriages  must  be  celebrated  upon  the  water. 
After  gifts  are  presented  and  accepted,  as  among 
other  tribes,  the  friends  build  a  platform  on  canoes 


And  Her  People.  1 1 7 

at  a  moderate  distance  from  the  shore.  After  the 
completion  of  this  work  the  bride  and  her  friends, 
dressed  in  their  best  attire,  proceed  in  canoes  to  the 
floating  platform  ;  while  the  groom  and  his  friends, 
also  dressed  in  gala  attire,  approach  it  from  an  oppo- 
site direction.  Meeting  upon  the  platform,  more 
presents  are  given,  and  the  groom  passes  from  his 
side  of  the  platform  to  the  side  of  the  bride,  takes 
her  hand,  and  leads  her  over  to  his  side.  Then 
follows  a  dance  in  which  all  but  the  bride  and  groom 
take  part  ;  and  while  this  is  progressing  the  groom 
places  his  bride  in  his  own  canoe,  and  paddling  to 
the  shore,  takes  her  to  his  wigwam.  The  dancing 
ended,  the  bride's  party  return  to  the  land,  putting 
the  presents  in  the  place  occupied  by  the  bride  on 
the  outward  trip. 

The  Haidahs,  like  all  Indians,  were  great  gamblers. 
Their  principal  game  was  a  very  simple  one  of  "  odd 
and  even."  Each  player  had  from  forty  to  fifty 
round  sticks,  and  each  in  turn  would  hide  as  many 
as  he  chose  under  a  mat  or  blanket,  the  others 
simply  guessing  "  odd  "  or  "  even."  It  was  purely  a 
game  of  chance.  He  who  guessed  right  took  as 
many  sticks  as  were  hidden  ;  if  he  guessed  wrong  he 
was  obliged  to  give  his  opponent  the  same  number. 
The  game  was  ended  when  one  had  won  all  his 
adversary's  sticks.  They  would  sometimes  stake  all 
they  had  in  the  world  on  this  simple  game.  They 
had  no  intoxicating  drinks  prior  to  the  coming  of 
the  whites,  and  personal  quarrels  between  members 
of  the  same  tribe  were  almost  unknown. 


ii8  Wah-kee-nah 


The  next  nation  to  the  southward  was  that  of  the 
Nootkas.  This  family  was  composed  of  thirty-seven 
tribes.  They  were  somewhat  smaller  than  the  Hai- 
dahs,  and  a  shade  darker.  They  all  wore  their  hair 
long,  and  it  was  a  disgrace  for  a  man  or  woman  to 
have  short  hair — the  mark  of  a  slave.  The  women 
took  great  care  of  their  hair,  braiding  it  neatly, 
arranging  it  in  many  curious  ways,  and  decorating  it 
with  shells  and  various  ivory  ornaments. 

The  singular  custom  of  flattening  the  head  obtained 
among  these  Indians,  though  not  to  the  same  extent 
as  with  the  Chinooks,  of  whom  an  account  will  be 
given  in  the  next  chapter.  When  the  child  was  four 
days  old  it  was  bound  upon  the  pappoose-board  (iden- 
tical in  style  with  that  of  the  Iroquois,  heretofore 
described),  and  underwent  the  flattening  process.  In 
a  few  months  the  head  of  the  child  would  not  be 
more  than  twro  inches  thick  from  front  to  back  at 
the  crown,  but  would  be  spread  sidewise  to  a  great 
extent.  As  the  child  grew  older,  the  head  would 
resume  something  of  its  natural  shape,  and  by  the 
time  it  was  full  grown,  the  head  was  much  more 
rounded  ;  but  the  effect  of  the  flattening  process 
always  remained  unmistakably  visible.  This  custom 
was  not  universal  among  the  Nootkas ;  but,  unques- 
tionable deformity  as  it  was,  it  was  among  them  a 
mark  of  nobility.  No  person  born  a  slave  ever  had 
the  honor  of  having  the  head  flattened. 

In  warm  weather  these  Indians  dressed  chiefly  in 
paint,  the  men  much  more  elaborately  than  the 
women.  After  the  age  of  twenty-five  the  women 


And  Her  People.  1 1 9 

ceased  to  adorn  themselves  with  paint.  They  no 
longer  considered  themselves  young,  and  therefore 
yielded  the  palm  of  beauty  to  the  more  youthful 
maidens.  In  cold  weather  the  dress  was  a  square 
blanket,  with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  through  which 
the  head  of  the  wearer  was  thrust.  The  garment 
thus  rested  upon  the  shoulders,  and  was  sometimes 
held  in  at  the  waist  by  a  belt.  The  blankets  of  the 
rich  were  bordered  with  fine  fur,  and  quite  richly 
decorated,  but  those  of  the  poor  were  of  coarse  ma- 
terial, without  any  decoration.  The  head  was 
usually  left  uncovered. 

The  principal  sustenance  of  the  Nootkas  was  fish, 
which  they  caught  with  net,  spear,  and  hook.  They 
had  an  ingenious  plan  of  covering  the  bottom  of  the 
streams  in  certain  places  with  white  stones,  so  that 
they  could  more  clearly  see  and  readily  spear  the  fish 
as  they  crossed.  They  used  wooden  canoes,  similar 
to  those  of  the  Haidahs,  but  were  not  so  skilful  in 
building  them.  Slavery  obtained  among  them,  and 
the  slave-trade  formed  the  principal  part  of  their 
dealings  with  other  tribes.  War  and  stealing,  or 
kidnapping,  were  the  principal  sources  of  supply. 

The  amusement  of  the  Nootkas  consisted  mainly 
of  feasting,  dancing,  and  gambling.  They  had 
athletic  games,  among  which  were  hooking  their 
little  fingers  together  and  pulling,  as  a  test  of 
strength,  jumping,  wrestling,  running  and  swimming 
races  on  a  wager.  They  were  strong  believers  in 
dreams,  witchcraft,  and  evil  spirits;  and  through 
this  belief  their  medicine  men,  who  practised  all 


1 2  o  Wah  -  kee-  nah 


kinds  of  sorcery,  obtained  great  power.  They  claimed 
that  all  sickness  was  caused  by  the  anger  of  the  evil 
spirits,  and  their  treatment  was  directed  to  appeasing 
such  spirits.  Very  poor  persons  and  slaves  were 
allowed  to  die  quietly,  as  they  had  nothing  with 
which  to  pay  a  fee  to  the  doctor. 

This  tribe  had  some  superstitions  similar  to  those 
which  have  found  a  place  among  white  races  in  dif- 
ferent ages  of  the  world.  One  of  these  was  that 
love  could  be  incited  by  certain  potions  or  powders. 
A  love-lorn  Nootka  maiden  would  seek  an  oppor- 
tunity to  stealthily  sprinkle  her  love  powder  into  the 
food  of  the  young  brave  of  her  choice,  and  if  success- 
ful was  very  happy,  and  would  spend  much  of  the 
day  in  dressing  her  luxuriant  hair  and  adorning  her- 
self with  paint.  When  the  sun  went  down  and  the 
soft,  cool  evening  came,  she  stationed  herself  where 
she  thought  her  wished-for  lover  would  see  her,  and, 
— singing  low  and  sweet  her  song  of  love,  awaited  his 
coming.  If  she  was  fortunate,  and  he  made  his  ap- 
pearance, her  happiness  was  complete.  If  he  failed 
to  come  that  way,  she  thought  some  evil  spirit  had 
overcome  her  love-potion,  arid  as  its  spell  lasted  but 
one  day  she  would  have  to  try  again. 

Still  journeying  southward,  we  come  to  Puget 
Sound,  an  inlet  of  the  ocean  many  miles  in  extent, 
quite  broad,  and  filled  with  islands  and  long  prom- 
ontories. Around  this  sound  were  many  tribes  of 
Indians,  but  they  differed  so  slightly  from  the  Nook 
kas  that  I  shall  have  but  little  to  say  about  them, 


And  Her  People.  121 

They  made  use  of  the  torch  to  catch  game — a  de- 
vice entirely  unknown  among  the  more  northern 
Indians.  They  hunted  elk  and  deer  at  night,  at- 
tracting them  within  bow-shot  by  the  bright  lights. 
At  certain  points  on  the  coast  where  great  flocks  of 
water-fowl  flew  from  point  to  point,  they  erected  tall 
poles  and  on  them  stretched  nets  made  of  cords 
manufactured  from  wild  hemp  and  cedar  roots.  Get- 
ting behind  these  at  night,  they  would  raise  their 
torches,  and  it  was  astonishing  to  see  what  numbers 
of  birds  would  fly  against  the  nets  and  drop  to  the 
ground,  stunned  by  the  force  of  the  collision  and 
thus  rendered  powerless  to  escape  the  hunters.  In 
all  other  matters  these  tribes  so  closely  resembled 
the  Nootkas  that  no  further  description  of  them  is 
necessary. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

WHEN,  upwards  of  forty  years  ago,  I  first 
became  acquainted  with  the  Indians  in- 
habiting California  and  Oregon,  they  were 
all  much  alike  and  no  one  tribe  was  dominant. 
There  were  many  large  and  some  small  tribes 
having  their  homes  in  the  country  west  of  the 
Rocky  and  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  north  of 
the  thirty-third  parallel  of  north  latitude.  Inasmuch, 
however,  as  their  habits  and  customs  did  not  vary 
sufficiently  among  themselves  or  from  other  Indians 
to  make  a  separate  account  necessary,  I  shall  confine 
myself  to  a  description  of  the  Chinooks,  upon  the 
Columbia  River,  in  Oregon,  as  a  representative  tribe 
of  this  whole  section. 

The  Chinooks  then  occupied  the  banks  of  the 
Columbia  near  its  mouth,  and  were  probably  the 
best  representatives  of  the  Indians  inhabiting  the 
section  of  country  mentioned  in  the  preceding  para- 
graph. All  these  tribes  were  more  or  less  related 
by  trade,  manners,  customs,  and  dialect.  Just  prior 
to  the  advent  of  the  whites  upon  the  western  coast 
of  North  America,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained  from 
the  traditions  of  the  Indians,  the  Chinooks  were  the 

122 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.  123 

dominant  nation  throughout  all  this  section  of  the 
country.  In  1850  they  were  on  the  decline,  the 
smallpox  having  a  few  years  before  almost  swept 
them  away.  Some  of  those  then  living  were  very 
old,  and  from  them  I  obtained  much  of  the  history 
of  the  tribe  and  of  the  others  that  surrounded  them. 
My  knowledge  of  their  language,  which  I  could  speak 
fluently,  enabled  me  to  learn  during  my  sojourn 
among  them  many  of  their  traditions,  and  much, 
not  only  of  their  own  earlier  life,  but  also  of  that  of 
the  other  tribes  composing  the  Chinook  family. 

An  old  woman,  called  by  the  whites  "  Aunt 
Sally,"  and  who  was  the  wife  of  the  head  chief  of 
the  Chinooks  when  Lewis  and  Clark  made  their  first 
visit  to  that  country  in  1806,  and  is  mentioned  by 
them,  well  remembered  their  coming.  I  have  spent 
many  hours  in  conversation  with  her  about  the  old 
times,  listening  with  intense  interest  to  her  stories 
of  "  her  people,"  as  she  always  called  the  Chinook 
nation.  She  thought  herself  over  a  hundred  years 
old,  and  perhaps  she  was  right,  but  if  so,  she  was  a 
wonderful  woman,  for  her  mind  was  as  clear  and 
her  memory  as  bright  as  those  of  two  score  less  win- 
ters than  those  numbered  by  her.  There  were  also 
old  warriors  in  the  other  tribes,  particularly  among 
the  Chehalis,  Cowlitz,  Klikatats,  and  Yakimas,  who 
corroborated  many  of  the  stories  and  traditions  told 
me  by  Aunt  Sally. 

The  Chinook  family  consisted  of  many  tribes, 
most  of  whom  subsisted  principally  upon  fish,  the 
exceptions  being  those  who  occupied  the  mountain- 


1 24  Wah-kee-nah 


ous  country  back  from  the  Columbia  River.  The 
tribe  living  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  along  its 
banks  to  the  distance  of  some  fifty  miles  was  known 
as  the  Chinooks,  while  the  other  tribes  of  the  family 
had  each  a  different  name.  The  Cathlamets  and 
Wahkiacums  also  lived  in  this  section,  but  they  were 
of  the  same  general  family. 

Previous  to  the  coming  of  the  whites,  the  Chi- 
nooks were  in  the  habit  of  going  out  to  sea  in  their 
large  canoes  to  capture  whales,  crossing  the  bar  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  a  thing  which  in  after  years 
the  best  white  navigators  feared  to  do.  After  kill- 
ing a  whale  with  harpoons,  they  would  tow  it  to 
Clatsop  Beach,  a  long,  wide,  beautiful  stretch  of 
sand,  just  south  of  the  river,  taking  advantage  of  the 
incoming  tide  to  land  it  well  up.  Here  they  would 
make  fast  the  harpoon  lines  to  stakes  driven  in  the 
sand,  so  that  the  ebbing  tide  might  not  carry  their 
catch  out  to  sea.  As  soon  as  the  tide  receded,  all 
went  to  work  at  cutting  up  the  prize,  and  when  the 
water  rose  again  there  would  be  nothing  left  of  the 
whale  to  be  carried  out.  The  process  of  fastening 
the  whale  on  the  beach  was  accompanied  with  no 
small  amount  of  danger  to  life  and  limb.  The  coast 
proper  was  a  ledge  of  perpendicular  rocks,  varying 
from  twenty  to  forty  feet  in  height,  and  if,  while 
they  were  landing  a  whale,  a  tide  came  in  somewhat 
higher  than  usual,  it  would  sweep  whale,  Indians, 
and  everything  against  these  rocks,  and  as  there 
were  only  a  few  crevices  through  which  the  Indians 
could  climb  to  the  top,  it  was  a  hazardous  under- 


A  nd  Her  People.  i  2  5 

taking,  especially  if  the  wind  blew  fresh  when  the 
tide  was  running  high. 

Aunt  Sally  recounted  to  me  that  many  Indians 
had  lost  their  lives  there  ;  and  that  at  one  particular 
time,  many  years  ago,  she  went  to  the  beach  to  see 
her  people  land  a  whale.  There  were  evidences  of 
a  storm,  and  every  available  man  and  canoe  had 
gone  out  to  help  draw  the  whale  to  the  beach.  The 
shore  was  crowded  with  women  and  children  watch- 
ing the  operation.  The  hunters  had  towed  the 
whale  in  so  that  it  touched  bottom,  and  were  wait- 
ing as  usual  for  the  tide  to  rise  sufficiently  to  enable 
them  to  pull  it  up  and  secure  it  where  it  would  lie 
high  and  dry  when  the  tide  went  out.  Every  time 
the  whale  floated  they  would  tow  it  up  a  little 
farther,  until  they  had  it  almost  where  they  wanted 
to  stake  it  ;  when  suddenly  and  without  warning  the 
wind  changed  to  a  terrific  gale,  and  a  tremendous 
wave  swept  in  with  such  terrible  force  that  it  hurled 
the  whale,  the  canoes,  and  the  Indians  helplessly 
against  the  ledge  of  rocks.  The  wave  "  poured  over 
its  own  top,"  she  said,  capsizing  and  swamping  the 
canoes,  and  dashing  the  occupants  to  their  death 
against  the  jagged  rocks.  The  water  came  over  the 
top  of  the  ledge  in  many  places,  and  upwards  of 
fifty  of  the  men  were  drowned  before  the  horrified 
eyes  of  their  wives  and  children.  She  said  nothing 
like  it  had  ever  been  known  before  or  since.  When 
the  tide  went  out  the  whale  went  with  it ;  but  about 
a  week  afterwards  they  found  it  washed  ashore  some 
twenty  miles  down  the  coast. 


126  Wah-kee-nah 


The  canoes  of  the  Chinooks  were  of  the  same  kind 
as  those  of  the  Haidahs,  but  after  their  numbers 
became  so  much  reduced  by  disease  the  Chinooks 
ceased  to  make  the  larger  sizes.  They  were  made 
by  burning  and  scraping,  after  the  manner  hereto- 
fore described.  It  took  a  man  about  three  months 
to  make  a  canoe  that  would  carry  three  persons. 
Their  weapons  and  fishing  tackle  were  similar  to 
those  of  the  Haidahs.  It  was  a  very  easy  matter 
for  them  to  live,  as  the  Columbia  River  was  filled 
with  fish  of  all  kinds,  salmon  and  sturgeon  being  the 
largest  varieties.  With  little  labor  they  could  catch 
enough  salmon  during  their  season  to  give  them  an 
ample  supply  through  the  longest  winter. 

It  was  their  custom  to  catch  and  dry  not  only 
enough  for  their  own  use,  but  also  a  vast  quantity 
for  the  purpose  of  trade  with  the  inland  and  moun- 
tain tribes.  Every  fall  they  loaded  their  canoes 
with  dried  salmon  and  sturgeon,  and  quantities  of 
hiaquas  and  went  to  the  Cascades  (the  rapids  of  the 
Columbia  River,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
from  its  mouth),  where  they  met  the  Indians  from 
the  mountains  and  plains  and  bartered  their  dried 
fish  and  hiaquas  for  slaves  and  for  the  skins  and 
meat  of  the  buffalo.  They  used  the  buffalo  skins  for 
making  their  summer  wigwams,  and  their  winter 
clothing  and  beds.  The  gray  seal,  beaver,  and  otter 
were  abundant  in  and  about  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  and  its  tributaries  ;  and  bear,  panther,  elk, 
and  deer  roamed  the  forests  at  will,  but  the  Chinooks 
were  fishermen,  not  hunters,  and  killed  only  enough 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 2  7 

of  the  land  game  ta  partially  supply  them  with  meat 
and  skins. 

The  salmon  is  a  fine  fish,  weighing  all  the  way 
from  ten  to  seventy  pounds.  The  usual  weight  is 
from  twenty  to  thirty  pounds,  each.  The  Indians 
caught  them  with  spear  and  net,  as  they  cannot  be 
taken  with  hook  and  line  after  reaching  fresh  water. 
Whenever  we  wanted  to  catch  salmon  with  the  hook, 
we  were  obliged  to  go  outside  the  bar  and  a  short 
distance  into  the  ocean.  There  they  would  bite, 
and  we  rarely  returned  without  a  satisfactory  catch. 

In  the  olden  times  the  Chinooks  dealt  very  largely 
in  slaves.  Trading  as  they  did  with  the  inland 
Indians — who  were  much  of  the  time  at  war  with 
each  other  and,  making  slaves  of  their  prisoners, 
desired  a  market  that  would  take  these  slaves  as  far 
as  possible  from  their  native  country, — the  Chinooks 
had  a  fine  opportunity  to  purchase  and  bring  these 
slaves  to  the  coast.  There  they  sold  them  to  the 
tribes  both  north  and  south,  realizing  a  handsome 
profit,  and  becoming  the  wealthiest  nation  in  all  that 
part  of  the  country. 

Aunt  Sally  told  me  that  when  she  was  quite  a 
little  girl  she  accompanied  her  father,  one  of  the 
chiefs  of  the  nation,  to  the  Cascades,  on  one  of  these 
trading  expeditions.  He  purchased  there  a  con- 
siderable number  of  slaves,  among  whom  was  a 
handsome  woman  about  twenty  years  old.  On  the 
return  trip  this  woman  made  two  attempts  to  end 
her  life  by  drowning ;  and  after  that  the  chief  gave 
orders  to  have  her  bound  every  night  to  a  tree,  to 


128  Wah-kee-nah 


prevent  the  accomplishment  of  her  purpose.  She 
was  proud  and  high-spirited,  and  fully  determined 
that  she  would  not  live  to  become  a  slave. 

It  had  happened  that  two  years  earlier  this  chief  had 
brought  home  a  young  man  who  spoke  an  entirely 
different  language  from  that  of  the  Chinooks  and 
one  that  Aunt  Sally  as  a  child  had  never  before 
heard.  This  young  man  was  retained  by  the  chief 
for  his  own  use,  and  so  it  came  about  that  the  chief's 
bright  little  daughter  saw  much  of  the  fine-looking 
young  captive,  and  partially  learned  his,  to  her, 
peculiar  language.  When  upon  this  first  trading 
trip  of  Aunt  Sally's  she  heard  that  one  of  the  slave 
women  had  jumped  into  the  river  and  been  bound 
to  a  tree  to  prevent  her  doing  it  again,  her  girlish 
curiosity  was  aroused  and  she  determined  to  go  and 
see  this  strange  woman.  As  she  drew  near  she  dis- 
covered that  the  captive  was  crying  and  talking  to 
herself.  Some  of  the  words  seemed  familiar  to  the 
child,  and  to  her  great  surprise  she  soon  recognized 
them  as  words  she  had  learned  from  the  young  slave 
of  her  father  at  home.  As  soon  as  she  found  that 
the  young  woman  saw  her,  she  began  repeating  some 
of  the  other  words  she  had  learned  from  the  young 
man.  The  prisoner  instantly  stopped  crying  and 
gazed  at  her  visitor  in  astonishment.  She  knew  by 
the  little  girl's  flat  head  that  she  was  not  of  her  tribe 
or  any  tribe  she  had  ever  been  acquainted  with. 
But  the  chief's  daughter,  by  means  of  the  words  she 
had  learned  and  by  the  use  of  the  sign  language 
which  all  understand,  made  known  to  the  woman 


And  Her  People.  129 

that  there  was  a  young  man  of  her  tribe  at  her 
father's  home.  The  captive  at  once  dried  her  tears, 
and  afterwards  made  no  further  attempt  at  suicide, 
but  sought  by  every  means  in  her  power  to  aid  in 
accelerating  the  journey.  On  arriving  home,  Aunt 
Sally  found  the  young  man  and  brought  him  to  see 
the  new  slaves.  The  young  woman  hesitated  not  a 
moment  when  she  saw  him,  but  with  a  little  scream 
of  joy  bounded  into  his  arms.  It  was  her  own 
husband,  whom  she  had  believed  to  have  been  killed 
in  battle,  two  years  before. 

Sometimes  slaves  were  permitted  to  buy  their 
freedom ;  and  through  the  persuasion  of  his  little 
daughter,  the  old  chief  consented  to  give  this  young 
man  the  privilege  of  thus  freeing  himself  and  wife. 
Most  gladly  did  he  avail  himself  of  this  gracious 
offer,  and  with  the  love  of  his  high-spirited  wife  to 
inspire  him  they  were  soon  free.  They  were  adopted 
into  the  Chinook  tribe  ;  for  it  was  deemed  by  all  an 
impossibility  for  them  ever  to  reach  their  native 
country,  on  "  the  rising-sun  side  of  the  big  moun- 
tains." The  young  man  was  the  eldest  son  of  the 
head  chief  of  his  tribe,  and  upon  his  father's  death 
would  have  taken  his  place.  Nevertheless  he  would 
always  have  remained  a  slave  but  for  the  kindness  of 
that  little  girl  who,  when  she  told  me  the  story,  was 
a  white-haired  woman  who  numbered  perhaps  a 
hundred  years. 

Like  all  Indian  nations  who  held  slaves,  the 
Chinooks  treated  them  with  harshness,  even  cruelty. 
Their  services,  their  person,  their  lives  even,  were 


1 30  Wah-kee-nah 


the  absolute  property  of  their  owners,  and  subject  to 
their  caprice.  An  owner  might  take  the  life  of  his 
slave  without  the  slightest  liability  to  punishment  or 
question.  Upon  the  death  of  one  who  owned  slaves 
it  was  the  usual  custom  to  put  at  least  one  of  them 
to  death,  to  wait  upon  the  master  in  the  spirit  land. 

One  day,  while  looking  out  upon  the  Columbia 
River,  my  attention  was  attracted  by  two  Indian 
boys,  who  landed  on  the  beach  and  drew  their  canoe 
up  into  the  woods,  whence  they  returned  with  boughs 
and  tried  to  erase  all  their  tracks  in  the  sand.  This 
proceeding  excited  my  curiosity,  and  I  determined 
to  ascertain  what  it  meant.  I  followed  the  boys  into 
the  woods,  and  after  a  long  search  found  them 
hidden  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree.  They  were  crouching 
down  in  a  place  scarcely  large  enough  to  hold  one 
of  them.  Upon  inducing  them  to  talk,  which  I  did 
with  difficulty,  I  learned  that  they  were  slaves. 
Their  master  had  recently  died,  and  they  were  to 
be  killed  to  serve  him  in  the  other  world ;  so,  to 
save  their  lives,  they  had  run  away. 

I  took  them  to  the  house,  put  them  up-stairs,  and 
again  seated  myself  at  the  window,  to  watch  and 
await  results.  It  was  not  long  before  I  saw  four 
Indians  coming  up  the  river  in  a  canoe.  They  kept 
close  to  the  shore,  which  they  were  apparently 
scrutinizing  very  carefully.  When  they  reached  the 
place  where  the  boys  had  hauled  up  their  canoe,  the 
Indians  landed,  just  as  confidently  as  if  they  had 
seen  the  boys  when  they  made  their  landing.  What 
they  saw  to  indicate  the  place  I  could  not  under- 


And  Her  People.  \  3 1 

stand,  as  every  vestige  of  the  boys'  visit  had  appar- 
ently been  wiped  out.  They  went  immediately  into 
the  woods,  and  a  short  time  afterwards  I  heard  a  rap 
at  the  door  of  the  house.  Opening  it,  I  saw  the  four 
Indians,  who  told  me  of  the  escape  of  the  slaves,  and 
that  they  had  traced  them  to  my  door.  There  was 
not  the  slightest  use  in  denying  this,  for  I  well  knew 
that  Indians  could  track  slaves  like  bloodhounds;  so 
I  said  that  the  two  boys  had  come  to  me,  and  that 
if  they  were  slaves  I  wanted  to  buy  them.  They 
said  they  would  not  sell  them  ;  that  they  were  the 
property  of  a  chief  who  had  died,  and  who  was  a 
brother  of  one  of  the  four;  that  they  wanted  the 
boys,  and  would  have  them.  After  much  discussion, 
and  firm  refusal  of  their  demands  upon  my  part, 
they  became  very  angry,  drew  their  knives,  and 
threatened  to  kill  me  if  I  did  not  surrender  the  boys 
at  once. 

In  the  meantime  I  had  stepped  out  of  the  house 
a  short  distance  and  planted  my  back  against  a  tree, 
to  prevent  their  getting  behind  me,  and  when  they 
drew  their  knives  I  drew  my  revolver,  telling  them 
to  put  up  their  weapons  or  I  would  shoot.  They 
knew  what  a  revolver  was,  and  quickly  put  their 
knives  back  into  their  belts.  I  then  began  bargain- 
ing for  the  boys,  telling  the  Indians  that  under  no 
circumstances  would  they  be  given  up,  but  that  I 
would  pay  them  all  they  were  worth  in  blankets  ;  and 
finally  offering  ten  blankets  for  each  boy.  I  told 
them  that  was  a  high  price  for  boys  of  that  age,  and 
that  with  such  a  number  of  blankets  the  dead  chief 


132  Wah-kee-nah 


could  certainly  buy  two  boys  in  the  spirit  land.  My 
argument,  backed  as  it  was  by  a  formidable-looking 
six-shooter,  finally  prevailed,  and  they  accepted  my 
terms.  I  gave  them  an  order  on  a  store  not  far 
away,  where  they  went  and  obtained  the  blankets. 

The  chief  was  to  be  buried  the  next  day  ;  and  as 
it  was  only  about  thirty  miles  from  where  I  lived,  I 
went  to  see  the  burial.  They  cut  five  of  the  blankets 
into  strips  and  wound  them  around  the  body  of  the 
dead  chief,  covering  them  by  wrapping  several  mats 
over  them.  They  then  placed  the  body  in  a  canoe 
the  bottom  of  which  was  perforated  with  holes,  and 
lashed  another  canoe,  similarly  perforated,  over  it. 
The  whole  was  then  conveyed  to  a  platform  which  had 
been  erected  in  the  woods  at  some  distance  from  the 
village,  and  which  stood  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the 
ground.  After  the  body  in  its  canoe-casket  had  been 
placed  upon  the  platform,  a  fire  was  built  near  the 
place,  and  the  remainder  of  the  blankets  together 
with  many  other  things  which  had  belonged  to  the 
chief  were  thrown,  one  by  one,  upon  the  fire,  until 
all  were  consumed. 

Their  belief  was  that  the  smoke  would  waft  all  the 
burned  things  to  the  dead  chief  in  the  spirit  land. 
The  two  boys  were  now  safe,  for  they  belonged  to 
me,  and  no  one  had  any  right  to  touch  them  without 
my  permission. 

My  brother  was  once  travelling  in  the  country  of 
the  Nootkas,  and  stopped  overnight  at  a  village 
where  the  people  were  mourning  for  the  young  son 
of  the  head  chief  who  had  died  that  day.  He  found 


And  Her  People.  133 

a  slave  boy  about  ten  years  old  fastened  to  a  stake 
and  awaiting  the  ceremonies  which  were  to  precede 
his  being  put  to  death,  to  accompany  his  master's 
little  son  to  the  spirit  land.  My  brother  succeeded 
in  purchasing  this  boy  for  five  blankets  and  an  orna- 
ment which  he  wore  upon  his  watch  chain.  At  the 
burial  they  broke  the  ornament  and  placed  the  frag- 
ments upon  the  breast  of  the  little  chief,  and  burned 
the  blankets.  My  brother  brought  the  slave  boy 
home  with  him  to  the  Columbia  River. 

It  was  the  custom  among  all  Indians  to  throw  food 
to  their  slaves,  just  as  we  do  to  dogs.  If  they  failed 
to  eat  all  that  was  given  the  master  would  say  :  "  If 
you  don't  eat  what  I  give  you,  it  will  be  a  long  time 
before  you  get  any  more."  And  so  it  would ;  for 
often  he  would  not  give  them  another  mouthful  for 
two  or  three  days.  My  brother  arrived  home  with 
his  purchase,  on  the  occasion  mentioned  above,  just 
before  supper,  and  after  the  family  had  finished  their 
meal,  the  little  fellow  was  seated  at  a  table  and 
helped  bountifully.  My  brother's  wife,  coming  into 
the  room,  saw  that  his  plate  was  empty  and  had  it 
refilled.  This  occurred  three  or  four  times.  The 
last  time,  the  boy  said  something  to  her  which  she 
could  not  understand ;  and  calling  to  me  she  said : 
"  Do  come  here,  and  see  what  this  boy  wants ;  I  am 
afraid  he  will  kill  himself  eating."  As  soon  as  I 
made  my  appearance  he  looked  at  me  most  beseech- 
ingly. "  Mammook  nika  muckamuck  conaway 
okook?"  "Must  I  eat  all  this?"  he  asked  in  a 
plaintive  voice  ;  and  when  I  told  him  he  need  not  eat 


1 3  4  Wak-  kee-nah 


any  more  than  he  wished  now  and  should  have  all  he 
wanted  the  next  day,  whether  he  ate  this  or  not,  he 
was  greatly  relieved  and  seemed  very  happy.  This 
boy  lived  with  my  brother  until  he  was  eighteen 
years  old  when  he  died.  He  was  a  good  and  faith- 
ful boy  ;  and  he  died  a  firm  believer  in  the  white 
man's  God,  and  a  true  and  devoted  Christian. 

The  Chinooks  believed  in  a  good  and  an  evil 
spirit  of  nearly  equal  power.  These  spirits  had 
many  contests  as  to  which  should  control  the  destinies 
of  the  Indian,  and  therefore  the  Chinook  was  always 
striving  to  propitiate  the  one  and  appease  the  other. 
Hence,  the  attendance  of  good  or  bad  fortune  in  his 
transactions  determined  in  his  mind  which  spirit 
was,  for  the  time  at  least,  most  powerful. 

Like  many  other  tribes  they  believed  that  every- 
thing had  its  own  spirit — the  wind,  the  water,  the 
thunder,  the  lightning,  the  trees, — all,  according  to 
their  notion,  had  a  spirit  that  governed  them,  as  the 
spirit  which  occupies  a  man's  body  controls  his 
actions.  They  could  not  understand  how  anything 
which  has  life  or  motion,  as  a  tree  that  grows,  water 
or  wind  that  moves,  or  thunder  that  roars,  can  fail 
of  having  some  inner  life,  or  spirit,  to  cause  the 
activities  which  they  daily  saw  and  heard.  They 
also  believed  that  great  immovable  objects,  such  as 
mountains,  caves,  etc.,  were  possessed  of  a  presiding 
genius. 

As  to  the  formation  of  mountains,  rivers,  etc., 
they  believed  that,  in  the  long  ago,  the  surface  of 
the  earth  was  quite  smooth  and  level;  that  after 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 3  5 

dwelling  long  in  harmony  the  different  spirits  quar- 
relled, and  the  water  spirits  were  strong  enough  to 
sink  portions  of  the  surface  for  the  rivers  to  run  in, 
and  larger  portions  for  the  lakes  and  seas  to  lie  in ; 
that  the  spirits  of  the  levels  had  power  to  hold  their 
own  in  the  contest;  while  the  mountain  spirits  were 
vanquished  and  pushed  up  out  of  the  way,  and  there 
obliged  forever  to  remain. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1854  I  was  spending  some 
time  in  hunting  in  the  Yakima  country,  and  there 
became  acquainted  with  an  old  Yakima  from  whom 
I  learned  many  things  regarding  Indian  life  and  be- 
liefs in  that  section.  He  told  me  that  when  he  was 
a  child,  his  grandfather,  then  an  old  man,  told  him 
that  he  remembered  perfectly  well  when  the  Colum- 
bia River  at  the  Cascades  ran  under  the  land,  and 
there  were  no  rapids.  In  other  words,  there  was  a 
natural  bridge  across  the  river  at  that  point. 

Mount  Hood,  an  extinct  volcano,  1 1,226  feet  high, 
lies  to  the  southward  of  the  Cascades,  and  but  a  few 
miles  distant.  Mount  Saint  Helen's  is  also  a  vol- 
canic mountain,  9750  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
lying  but  a  few  miles  northwesterly,  and  even  yet 
occasionally  emitting  volumes  of  smoke.  A  legend 
told  by  the  old  Yakima  was  that  the  spirits  of  these 
two  great  mountains  used  to  cross  the  river  by  this 
natural  bridge  to  visit  each  other,  until  one  day  St. 
Helen's,  in  anger,  shook  it  down. 

The  face  of  nature  at  and  around  the  Cascades 
has  not  preserved  any  of  the  footprints  of  the  spirits, 
but  it  has  every  other  indication  necessary  to  estab- 


136          Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

lish  the  truth  of  the  story  of  the  old  Yakima.  The 
banks  on  each  side  of  the  river  at  that  point  look  as 
if  they  had  been  broken  down,  instead  of  being 
formed  like  the  others  along  that  portion  of  the 
stream.  Just  above  the  Cascades  and  for  a  distance 
of  twenty  or  thirty  miles  may  be  seen  acres  of  what 
was  once  bottom  land  covered  with  trees,  now  sub- 
merged to  the  depth  of  ten  to  twenty  feet.  The 
trees  still  stand  there  under  the  water  just  as  they 
once  stood  in  the  primeval  forest,  except  that  their 
tops  have  been  cut  off  to  a  level  with  the  water  by 
the  ice. 

This  submerged  land  with  its  standing  trees  proves 
beyond  question  that,  in  the  not  distant  past,  the 
river  was  suddenly  dammed  at  what  is  now  the  Cas- 
cades, and  the  water  backed  up  over  these  lands. 
No  one  examining  the  place  with  care  can  arrive  at 
any  other  conclusion  than  that  at  some  time  in  the 
earth's  history,  and  probably  not  much  more  than  a 
century  ago,  there  was  a  natural  bridge  there,  and 
that  it  was  probably  thrown  down  by  a  volcanic 
eruption  of  one  or  both  mountains,  accompanied  by 
an  earthquake.  The  Indian's  tradition,  that  Mount 
St.  Helen's  "got  angry,"  indicates  forcibly  that  the 
eruption  took  place  in  that  mountain. 


CHAPTER  X. 

IT  has  been  charged  that  the  Indians  are  a  treach- 
erous race.  In  the  matter  of  warfare,  or  in 
transactions  with  one  whom  they  believe  would 
deceive  or  take  unfair  advantage  of  them,  I  think 
the  charge  can  be  sustained.  They  believe  in  the 
old  adage  that  "  All  is  fair  in  love  and  war."  They 
have  no  scruples  about  making  promises  of  good 
behavior  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  an  enemy  into 
an  ambush  or  into  some  condition  or  situation  where 
he  would  be  at  a  disadvantage ;  but  they  will  never 
betray  a  friend.  I  have  known  many  instances 
where  they  have  undergone  hardships  and  defied 
danger  to  warn  and  protect  their  friends.  One  such 
instance  related  to  myself. 

And  this  brings  me  to  the  story  of  Wah-kee-nah — 
Wah-kee-nah  the  beautiful ;  Wah-kee-nah  the  fear- 
less ;  Wah-kee-nah  the  true-hearted  ! 

From  1850  to  1855  it  was  difficult  in  Oregon  to 
get  house  servants,  even  at  one  hundred  dollars  a 
month,  which  was  sometimes  paid.  During  a  trip 
into  the  Yakima  country  in  1850,  my  brother,  of 
whom  I  have  heretofore  spoken,  saw  a  bright,  pretty 
Yakima  girl— a  daughter  of  one  of  the  chiefs — of 

137 


138  Wah-kee-nah 


some  fifteen  or  sixteen  years.  She  appeared  so  un- 
usually intelligent  and  so  perfectly  neat  withal,  that 
it  occurred  to  him  that  his  wife  might  teach  her  to 
be  very  helpful  about  the  house.  So  after  getting 
her  consent  to  go  and  live  with  him  at  his  home  on 
the  Columbia  River,  sixty  miles  from  her  own 
country,  he  gave  her  parents  the  same  amount  in 
presents  as  if  he  was  buying  her  for  a  wife,  which 
was  much  more  than  he  would  have  had  to  pay 
for  a  slave  girl,  and  took  her  home  with  him.  This 
was  Wah-kee-nah  (signifying  "  most  beautiful  "),  and 
never  was  an  Indian  maiden  more  fitly  named.  In 
face,  form,  and  lissome  grace  she  was  peerless  among 
her  race.  We  were  all  charmed  with  her.  She  was 
apt  in  learning  the  duties  of  the  household  and  of 
great  assistance  to  my  brother's  wife.  I  lived  with 
my  brother  at  the  time,  and  took  great  satisfaction 
in  teaching  her  English,  while  she  was  of  valuable 
assistance  to  me  in  learning  her  language.  She  lived 
in  the  family  for  many  years. 

When  Wah-kee-nah  came  to  us  she  presented  a 
striking  picture.  She  was  dressed  in  the  usual  sum- 
mer costume  of  the  mountain  Indian  girl  of  that 
section — a  costume  which  disclosed  rather  than  con- 
cealed her  beautiful  figure.  About  her  waist  was  a 
girdle  some  two  and  a  half  inches  in  width,  and  into 
this  were  skilfully  woven  four  rows  of  cords,  made 
from  the  fibre  of  bark  and  roots,  which  hung  down 
nearly  to  her  knees  and  constituted  her  skirt.  Her 
only  covering  from  the  waist  up  was  her  very  luxu- 
riant black  hair,  which  not  only  grew  very  thick,  but 


A  nd  Her  People.  139 

hung  almost  to  her  knees.  If  to  the  above  be  added 
the  daintily  embroidered  moccasins  which  shod  her 
feet,  we  have  the  entire  costume — in  which  we  first 
saw  her.  But  she  had  that  simple  native  modesty 
which  saw  no  impropriety  in  such  a  dress.  She  had 
worn  such  a  one  as  long  as  she  could  remember,  and 
had  never  seen  an  Indian  girl  dressed  in  any  other 
in  the  summer  ;  and  it  never  had  occurred  to  her 
unsophisticated  mind  that  any  girl  could  wear  any- 
thing better  or  more  becoming.  My  brother's  wife 
immediately  fixed  up  one  of  her  own  dresses  for  the 
young  savage,  and  though  she  had  considerable  diffi- 
culty in  persuading  Wah-kee-nah  to"  put  on  a  "  white 
woman's  dress,"  she  finally  succeeded,  and  after  that 
some  new  dresses  were  made  for  her,  and  Wah-kee- 
nah  appeared  no  more  about  the  house  in  the  start- 
ling costume  in  which  she  came.  When,  however, 
she  went  to  visit  her  own  people  she  resumed  her 
native  costume,  saying  that  all  her  friends  would 
laugh  at  her  if  she  wore  the  dress  of  the  pale-face. 
Moreover,  she  continued  to  wear  her  own  summer 
costume  under  her  new  style  of  dress  for  a  long  time 
and  until  she  had  learned  to  read  and  write.  Then 
she  began  to  take  pride  in  being  like  white  people, 
and  adopted  more  fully  the  white  girl's  dress. 

She  looked  very  jaunty  and  handsome  in  her  na- 
tive winter  costume.  This  consisted  of  a  pair  of 
leggins,  made  of  buckskin,  beautifully  worked  with 
beads  and  porcupine  quills,  and  fastened  around  the 
waist.  Over  these  she  wore  a  skirt,  also  of  buckskin 
and  very  elaborately  embroidered,  which  reached  a 


1 40  Wah-kee-nah 


little  below  the  knee  and  in  shape  was  not  unlike  those 
worn  by  white  girls.  This  skirt  was  also  heavily 
fringed  around  the  bottom.  The  costume  was  com- 
pleted by  a  jacket,  or  waist,  of  embroidered  buckskin, 
which  in  cut  and  shape  was  almost  identical  with  the 
"  surplice  waist  "  of  our  own  fashionable  ladies  in 
this  present  year  of  1893.  It  was  a  very  sensible  and 
pretty  costume. 

Wah-kee-nah  was  a  well-grown  girl  when  she  first 
came  to  us,  but  in  her  new  life  her  tall,  lithe  figure 
rapidly  rounded  into  superb  womanhood.  Her  hands 
and  feet  were  small  and  elegantly  shaped,  and  her 
eyes,  larger  than  is  usual  with  her  race,  were  very 
dark  and  lustrous.  She  was  fleet-footed  as  a  deer, 
and,  while  retaining  all  the  quickness  and  alertness 
of  the  Indian,  she  soon  added  to  these  the  grace  of 
a  queenly  woman.  She  was  an  expert  in  the  use  of 
the  bow  and  arrow  when  she  came  to  us,  but  knew 
little  of  the  use  of  fire-arms.  In  those  early  days  in 
Oregon  it  was  quite  necessary  that  a  woman,  no  less 
than  a  man,  should  know  how  to  use  the  rifle  and  the 
revolver,  and  the  ladies  frequently  joined  in  the  sport 
of  shooting  at  a  mark  with  both  these  weapons. 
Wah-kee-nah  often  participated  in  the  sport,  and  her 
keen  eye  and  steady  nerve  soon  made  her  an  expert 
shot. 

My  brother's  duties  as  Judge  of  the  United  States 
Court  did  not  occupy  the  whole  of  his  time,  and  he 
had  taken  up  a  claim  of  640  acres  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Columbia  River,  and,  after  building  his  house 
upon  it,  had  begun  clearing  up  the  land. 


A  nd  Her  People.  141 

One  day  he  accompanied  the  men  who  were  cutting 
timber  upon  a  distant  part  of  the  claim,  telling  his 
wife  to  send  Wah-kee-nah  with  dinner  for  all  hands 
about  twelve  o'clock.  Wah-kee-nah  was  duly  de- 
spatched upon  this  errand,  but  "she  soon  returned  to 
the  house,  saying  that  the  Judge  had  told  her  to 
hurry  right  back  and  fetch  him  a  rifle,  as  they  had 
just  seen  a  fine  deer  pass  through  the  clearing. 
The  girl  was  panting  from  rapid  running  and  excite- 
ment, and  all  her  Indian  blood  was  alive  at  the  pros- 
pect of  the  chase,  wrhile  her  eyes  were  fairly  blazing 
with  joyous  expectancy.  Her  excitement  was  in- 
fectious. I  caught  it  at  once,  and,  giving  Wah-kee- 
nah  one  of  the  rifles,  I  took  another,  and  we  started 
for  the  clearing.  I  was  a  pretty  good  walker  in  those 
days,  but  it  gave  me  about  all  I  wanted  to  do  to  keep 
up  with  this  swift-footed  and  enthusiastic  young 
huntress. 

When  we  reached  the  clearing  my  brother  told  us 
that  the  deer  had  gone  into  the  woods  on  the  side 
towards  the  river,  but  he  thought  by  careful  pursuit 
he  might  yet  get  a  shot  at  him.  Wah-kee-nah  begged 
my  brother  to  let  her  go  after  the  deer,  as  she  had 
never  yet  had  a  shot  at  one.  She  was  so  anxious 
about  it  that  I  seconded  her  request,  saying  that  if 
anybody  could  get  him  Wah-kee-nah  was  sure  to  do 
it.  The  Judge  readily  consented,  and  the  girl  started 
with  a  quick  yet  noiseless  step  into  the  woods.  It 
was  not  very  long  before  we  heard  the  crack  of  her 
rifle.  We  started  at  once  in  the  direction  from  which 
the  report  had  come,  but  we  could  not  find  any  traces 


142  Wah-kee-nah 


of  Wah-kee-nah.  We  called  to  her,  but  received  no 
reply  save  the  echo  of  her  name.  Concluding  that 
if  she  had  wounded  the  deer  he  would  make  for  the 
river,  we  bent  our  steps  in  that  direction,  calling  from 
time  to  time  as  we  proceeded.  After  a  time  we  heard 
her  answering  shout,  and  found  her  at  the  river's 
bank.  She  told  us  she  had  wounded  the  deer  and 
had  tracked  him  to  that  place,  and  that  he  must  have 
swum  over  to  the  island.  We  could  see  for  ourselves 
where  he  had  gone  into  the  water,  for  his  tracks  were 
plainly  visible  in  the  mud. 

Wah-kee-nah  was  a  splendid  swimmer,  and  she  at 
once  proposed  to  swim  over  to  the  island  after  him. 
We  tried  to  dissuade  her  from  this  idea,  and  induce 
her  to  wait  until  I  could  go  to  the  house  and  get  a 
boat ;  but  she  was  so  fearful  that  he  would  leave  the 
island  and  swim  to  the  mainland  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river;  was  so  confident  that  she  had  wounded 
him ;  and  pleaded  so  earnestly  withal,  that  my 
brother  finally  consented  to  let  her  go.  She  did  not 
waste  any  time.  Divesting  herself  of  her  outer  dress 
— thus  leaving  her  attired  in  her  Indian  summer 
costume  only — she  tied  her  powder-horn  upon  the 
top  of  her  head  with  the  braids  of  her  luxuriant 
hair.  Then  she  put  some  bullets  into  her  mouth, 
took  the  rifle  in  her  left  hand,  and  went  quickly  into 
the  river.  It  was  a  stirring  sight  to  see  this  fearless 
daughter  of  the  forest  buffeting  with  her  superb 
dusky  limbs  the  placid  waters  of  the  Columbia,  while 
she  held  safely  aloft  her  rifle  with  an  arm  that  might 
well  have  served  as  a  model  for  a  sculptor.  Not 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 43 

Leander,  eager  to  meet  his  beautiful  Hero  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Hellespont,  ever  cleft  the  waters 
with  stronger  or  more  efficient  strokes  than  did  this 
Indian  Diana  swimming  after  her  more  humble 
prize.  Steadily  and  quite  rapidly  she  made  her  way 
to  the  island,  and  after  walking  a  short  distance 
along  the  bank  she  signalled  to  us  that  she  had  found 
the  trail,  and  with  her  rifle  ready  for  a  shot  began 
cautiously  creeping  into  the  underbrush,  and  soon 
disappeared  from  view.  We  waited  quite  a  long 
time  before  we  heard  again  the  ring  of  her  rifle,  and 
then  in  a  few  minutes  she  appeared  upon  the  bank 
with  a  glad  shout  and  told  us  that  she  had  killed 
the  deer.  I  told  her  to  wait  there  until  I  could  get 
the  boat  and  bring  her  home,  and  she  seated  herself 
contentedly  on  the  bank  to  await  my  coming.  It 
was  a  proud  girl  that  met  me  and  pulled  the  prow  of 
my  boat  a  little  way  up  on  the  shore.  Her  eyes 
were  fairly  dancing  with  pleasure. 

"What  do  you  think  of  Wah-kee-nah  now?"  she 
said. 

"  Wah-kee-nah  is  a  brave  hunter,"  I  said,  approv- 
ingly ;  "  but  are  you  sure  you  have  killed  the 
deer?" 

"  Come  and  see  for  yourself,"  she  answered  with  a 
laugh  ;  and  leading  the  way  inland,  rifle  in  hand 
(she  had  reloaded  it  immediately  after  shooting),  she 
soon  brought  me  to  the  place  where  lay  her  game. 
On  the  way  she  told  me  that  her  first  shot  had 
struck  his  shoulder  and  only  lamed  him  ;  but  the 
second  shot  had  hit  him  in  the  head  and  finished 


144  Wah-kee-nah 


him  at  once.  This  proved  to  be  the  case.  Her 
second  shot  had  entered  just  below  and  forward  of 
the  left  ear,  and  he  could  scarcely  have  made  a  move 
afterwards.  Together  we  dragged  him  to  the  boat, 
and  I  brought  Wah-kee-nah  and  her  first  deer  in 
triumph  to  the  house.  My  brother's  wife  was  warm 
in  her  praises  of  the  girl's  prowess,  and  Wah-kee-nah 
had  a  very  happy  afternoon. 

But  it  was  not  very  long  after  this  episode  that 
my  brother's  wife  had  occasion  to  compliment  Wah- 
kee-nah  again  on  her  skill  and  daring;  and  this  time 
for  an  act  that  forever  endeared  the  girl  to  the  heart 
of  her  mistress,  and  to  all  of  us. 

My  brother's  house  was  built  upon  a  bluff,  or 
rocky  cliff,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  some  ten  or 
fifteen  feet  above  the  water  at  low  tide.  He  had 
built  a  picket  fence  around  his  yard  and  garden,  to 
secure  the  safety  of  the  children.  One  day,  how- 
ever, his  three-year-old  boy  found  a  loose  picket  in 
the  fence  along  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  and  crawling 
through,  tumbled  over  into  the  river.  Fortunately 
— or  was  it  providentially  ? — Wah-kee-nah  happened, 
a  moment  afterwards,  to  come  out  of  the  house. 
She  did  not  see  the  little  fellow  fall  over  the  bank, 
but  she  did  see  the  opening  in  the  fence,  and,  being 
no  less  prudent  than  she  was  brave,  went  at  once  to 
fix  it.  As  soon  as  she  reached  the  fence  she  saw  the 
baby  in  the  water.  He  was  clinging  spasmodically 
to  a  piece  of  drift-wood,  and  being  whirled  round 
and  round  in  an  eddy  formed  by  some  projecting 
rocks.  Wah-kee-nah  grasped  the  situation  instantly. 


A nd  Her  People.  1 45 

She  did  not  faint  with  fear ;  she  did  not  scream  ; 
she  did  not  even  run  off  for  assistance.  What 
she  did  was  to  tear  off  two  more  of  the  pickets 
with  one  sweep  of  her  strong  arms,  and  bound 
through  the  opening  to  the  edge  of  the  bank. 
Even  as  she  reached  it  she  saw  the  child  lose 
his  hold  and  sink  beneath  the  whirling  waters. 
But  Wah-kee-nah  never  hesitated  for  a  single  in- 
stant. Marking  with  quick  eye  the  spot  where  she 
wanted  to  strike  the  water,  she  made  a  "  cut-water  " 
of  her  two  hands  and  plunged  headlong  into  the 
river.  The  impetus  of  her  falling  weight  carried  her 
to  the  very  bottom  ;  but  she  did  not  find  the  boy.  For 
one  instant,  her  brave  heart  sank  within  her,  as  she 
thought  that  she  had  made  a  miscalculation.  But 
it  was  only  for  an  instant.  The  eddy  had  not  per- 
mitted the  boy  to  sink  to  the  bottom,  and  as  she 
looked  up  she  saw  him  in  the  water  almost  directly 
above  her  head.  Wah-kee-nah  came  to  the  surface 
with  the  child  in  her  arms.  He  was  partly  strangled  ; 
but  Wah-kee-nah,  sustaining  herself  upon  a  projec- 
tion of  one  of  the  rocks  which  was  partly  submerged, 
held  him  up  in  safety.  The  water  came  out  of  his 
mouth,  the  air  revived  him,  and  in  a  moment  he  was 
all  right,  and  did  not  seem  to  be  a  bit  frightened. 
Then  she  drew  him  around  so  that  he  rested  on  her 
back  with  his  arms  clinging  tightly  to  her  neck,  and, 
swimming  around  the  point  of  rocks  to  the  little 
dock  where  the  boats  were  kept,  she  brought  the 
child  all  dripping  to  his  mother,  before  she  had  even 
missed  him. 


146  Wah-kee-nah 


The  boy  was  not  disturbed  in  the  slightest  degree 
by  his  perilous  adventure.  Wah-kee-nah  had  often 
given  him  his  bath  in  the  bathing-tub,  where  he 
would  splash  around  in  great  glee.  After  his  wet 
clothing  had  been  removed  and  his  mother  had  cried 
and  laughed  over  him,  and  kissed  and  embraced  him 
and  Wah-kee-nah  by  turns,  the  little  fellow  started 
to  run  out-of-doors.  When  Wah-kee-nah  intercepted 
him,  he  looked  up  at  her,  with  his  little,  chubby 
face  all  aglow,  and  said  :  "  Tub — Wah-tee,  Kee-nah, 
tub — Wah-tee.  Tome!"  He  wanted  another  bath 
in  the  great  Columbia  River,  thinking  it  far  more 
jolly  than  his  tub. 

This  act  of  Wah-kee-nah's  made  a  strong  impres- 
sion upon  all  of  us.  We  fully  realized  that  but  for 
her  bravery  and  alertness  our  little  household  would 
have  been  in  mourning.  Everyone  had  been  pleased 
with  her  before  ;  but  henceforth  she  was  a  member 
of  the  family. 

Wah-kee-nah  was  always  ready  for  any  emergency, 
and  her  courage  was  unbounded  ;  indeed,  it  may  be 
truthfully  said  of  her  that  she  was  entirely  without 
fear. 

About  the  same  time  that  my  brother  took  up  his 
claim,  three  or  four  other  families  also  took  up 
claims  some  three  miles  back  from  the  Columbia 
River  and  in  the  valley  of  the  E-lo-ha-min,  a  small  river 
that  emptied  into  the  Columbia  near  my  brother's 
house.  They  had  cut  a  road  following  the  bank  of 
the  river  through  the  woods  to  their  settlement ;  but 
by  going  through  the  woods  across  the  small  spur  of 


A  nd  Her  People.  147 

a  mountain,  a  person  could  save  about  half  a  mile  of 
the  distance. 

One  of  these  farmers  had  an  Indian  girl  to  help 
his  wife,  and  she  and  Wah-kee-nah  frequently  ex- 
changed visits.  On  one  occasion  Wah-kee-nah  went 
to  spend  the  afternoon  with  her  friend  and  failed  to 
return  at  the  usual  time.  We  felt  somewhat  anxious 
about  her  as  the  time  passed,  but  finally  concluded 
that  she  must  for  some  reason  have  decided  to  re- 
main overnight,  although  she  had  never  before  done 
so  without  asking  permission. 

She  came  home  quite  early  on  the  following  morn- 
ing, and  we  then  learned  the  cause  of  her  detention, 
and  the  story  of  her  thrilling  all-night  experience. 
She  had  started  early  enough  to  reach  home  before 
dark,  but  stopped  at  the  foot  of  the  spur  to  pick 
berries.  The  time  flew  so  fast  that  she  did  not  real- 
ize how  late  it  was,  until  suddenly  she  noticed  that 
it  was  quite  dark.  Then  she  started  in  haste  for 
home,  but  had  gone  only  a  little  way  when  she  heard 
the  howling  of  wolves  in  the  woods.  As  they  seemed 
to  be  coming  in  her  direction  she  hurriedly  climbed 
a  tree  and  seated  herself  upon  a  limb.  It  was  but  a 
little  while  before  seven  large  mountain  wolves  made 
their  appearance  under  the  tree.  None  of  us  ever 
went  into  the  woods  in  those  days  without  a  revolver, 
and  Wah-kee-nah  had  not  forgotten  hers.  She  made 
prompt  use  of  it,  and  shot  the  wolf  that  seemed  to 
be  the  leader  of  the  pack ;  but  this  did  not  frighten 
the  others  away.  They  were  hungry  and  they 
kept  prowling  around  the  foot  of  the  tree  until  it 


148  Wah-kee-nah 


became  so  dark  that  Wah-kee-nah  did  not  dare  to 
come  down  and  continue  her  journey.  She  had  looked 
in  the  chamber  of  her  revolver  after  she  shot  the  wolf 
and  found  that  there  were  but  two  shots  left,  and 
she  wisely  concluded  that  she  had  better  keep  those 
for  use  in  case  a  panther  or  a  bear  should  come  upon 
the  scene  and  attempt  to  climb  the  tree.  There  was 
nothing  for  her  to  do  then  but  fix  herself  to  spend 
the  night  in  the  tree.  So  she  climbed  farther  up 
among  the  branches  until  she  found  a  safe  and  com- 
fortable seat,  and  there  settled  herself  for  the  night, 
with  naught  but  the  hungry  wolves  and  the  dismal 
screech-owls  to  keep  her  company.  She  heard  the 
baffled  wolves  many  times  during  the  night,  some- 
times at  a  distance  and  sometimes  under  the  tree, 
scenting  their  dead  leader.  And  thus  this  lion- 
hearted  girl  of  eighteen  spent  the  summer 
night.  At  daybreak,  while  stretching  her  tired  limbs 
into  a  more  comfortable  position,  she  caught  sight 
of  another  visitor  creeping  through  the  underbrush 
towards  her  tree.  The  wolves  had  not  been  heard 
for  quite  a  long  time,  and  it  took  but  one  quick 
glance  to  assure  the  girl  that  it  was  a  sleek  and 
sinuous  panther  that  was  approaching  for  this  early 
morning  call.  Wah-kee-nah  glanced  at  her  revolver 
and  saw  that  it  was  secure  in  her  belt.  Then  she 
prepared  to  give  her  unbidden  guest  a  warm  recep- 
tion. With  but  two  shots  at  her  command  she 
could  not  afford  to  risk  the  chance  of  wasting  even 
one  of  them  upon  the  panther  while  he  was  upon 
the  ground.  There  was  no  other  tree  near  enough 


And  Her  People.  149 

for  him  to  climb  and  thus  spring  upon  her.  He 
would  have  to  climb  her  tree,  and  she  must  wait 
until  he  did  it.  But  she  had  no  notion  of  letting 
her  unwelcome  visitor  select  their  place  of  meeting. 
She  well  knew  that  if  he  obtained  a  foothold  upon  a 
limb  of  the  tree  he  could  then  spring  upon  her, 
whereas,  while  climbing  the  body  of  the  tree  he 
could  make  no  spring.  Lightly  and  very  quickly 
she  swung  herself  down  to  the  lowest  limb,  and 
planting  herself  securely  thereon  with  her  head  close 
to  the  body  of  the  tree,  pistol  in  hand,  she  waited 
his  coming.  She  had  not  long  to  wait,  for  the  pan- 
ther wasted  no  time.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the 
tree,  he,  cat-like,  began  slowly  and  cautiously  climb- 
ing it,  while  Wah-kee-nah's  dark  head  hung  over 
toward  the  side  on  which  he  came,  as  if  to  meet  him 
half-way.  Their  eyes  met — the  panther's  were  eager, 
burning,  fascinating, — but  Wah-kee-nah's  dark  orbs 
were  not  disturbed.  On  came  the  panther,  steadily, 
cautiously,  but  confidently.  He  had  already  covered 
half  the  distance  between  her  and  the  ground,  but 
Wah-kee-nah  held  her  fire.  As  the  brute  came  still 
closer  and  when  she  could  almost  have  reached 
down  and  touched  his  paw,  the  girl  glanced  along 
her  pistol-barrel.  Her  aim  was  at  one  of  those 
burning  eyes  that  had  not  left  her  own.  A  shot 
rang  out  on  the  still  morning  air,  and  an  instant  later 
the  panther  lay  kicking  feebly  on  the  ground,  while 
Wah-kee-nah  still  had  one  shot  left ! 

But  there  was  no  need  for  a  second  shot.     The 
aim  had  been  true,  and  the  panther  soon  ceased  his 


Wah-kee-nah 


struggles.  Wah-kee-nah  remained  in  the  tree  until 
after  sunrise,  to  make  sure  that  there  were  no  more 
panthers  or  wolves  about ;  then  she  came  down,  and 
soon  reached  home  without  further  adventure.  We 
had  the  animals  skinned.  Both  were  large  and  fine 
specimens  of  their  species. 

I  come  now  to  that  story  of  Wah-kee-nah  which 
is  most  intimately  connected  with  my  own  life. 

Just  prior  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  Yakima  war, 
in  1856,  I  was  hunting  in  the  Yakima  country,  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  troubles  that  were  bringing  on 
a  war.  One  night  while  lying  wrapped  in  my 
blanket  under  a  wide-spreading  cedar  and  not  yet 
asleep,  I  saw  indistinctly  some  one  approaching  me. 
I  felt  rather  nervous  and  apprehensive,  for  I  had 
noticed  for  two  or  three  days  that  the  Indians  had 
gathered  in  groups  and  engaged  in  earnest  conversa- 
tion, and  that  some  of  them  seemed  to  look  at  me 
in  an  unusual — not  to  say  uncomfortable — way. 
This  had  given  me  the  impression  that  something 
was  wrong,  but  I  could  not  find  out  what  it  was. 
On  asking  them  what  made  them  talk  so  much  and 
look  so  disturbed,  they  had  told  me  that  panthers 
were  very  numerous  in  the  woods  that  year,  and  had 
killed  a  young  chief  of  another  village,  and  that  they 
were  worried  on  that  account. 

I  had  overheard  something  during  the  day  that 
had  caused  me  to  discredit  the  panther  story  and  to 
feel  so  disturbed  that  I  could  not  sleep.  So  when  I 
saw  this  nocturnal  visitor  approaching  so  noiselessly, 
I  grasped  and  cocked  my  revolver.  When  the  Indian 


A  nd  Her  People.  151 

had  approached  to  within  a  few  feet  of  me,  I  heard 
my  name  softly  spoken  in  a  voice  that  I  recognized  at 
once.  My  unexpected  visitor  was  Wah-kee-nah. 

I  greeted  her  warmly  and  started  to  rise,  but 
kneeling  quickly  beside  me,  and  pushing  me  gently 
back,  she  put  a  hand  softly  over  my  mouth  and  told 
me  to  keep  perfectly  quiet.  I  obeyed  her  injunc- 
tion, and  she,  remaining  in  such  position  as  to  have 
the  appearance  of  a  stump,  to  any  one  who  might 
happen  to  be  passing,  told  me  in  low  tones  of  what 
had  happened  during  my  absence,  and  which  she 
said  had  determined  her  people  to  take  the  war-path. 
The  outbreak  she  said  was  very  near  at  hand  ;  in 
fact  the  Yakimas  were  only  awaiting  the  return  of 
the  head  war-chief,  who  had  gone  on  a  mission  to 
some  of  the  neighboring  tribes  to  get  them  to  join  in 
the  war,  and  that  they  would  begin  killing  the  whites 
as  soon  as  he  came  back  ;  and  that  if  I  remained  there 
I  would  probably  be  the  first  victim.  I  felt  that  Wah- 
kee-nah  was  right.  I  knew  that  the  sagacious  girl  was 
reliable  in  her  information — indeed  it  was  fully  cor- 
roborated by  my  own  observations.  I  was  a  good 
deal  excited,  and  saying  I  would  go  at  once  with 
her,  started  to  rise.  But  once  more  she  placed  her 
hand  firmly  upon  my  shoulder  and  said  "  No."  She 
explained  that  it  would  not  do  at  all  for  us  to  go 
away  together  ;  and  that  we  would  be  almost  certain 
to  be  discovered,  in  which  case  the  lives  of  both 
would  be  forfeited.  Even  should  we  be  able  to 
travel  unseen  for  the  remainder  of  the  night,  my  ab- 
sence, she  said,  was  sure  to  be  noticed  early  in  the 


152  Wah-kee-nah 


morning,  and  pursuit  and  death  would  certainly 
follow.  "  We  could  kill  some,"  she  said  ;  "  but  there 
would  be  too  many  for  us ;  and  besides,"  she  added, 
"  I  don't  like  to  shoot  my  own  people." 

I  saw  the  full  force  of  what  she  said,  and  could  not 
doubt  that  her  views  were  correct.  "  But  what  is  to 
be  done?"  I  asked.  Then  this  simple  child  of  the 
mountain  forest  unfolded  to  me  a  plan  so  simple  and 
yet  so  feasible  for  my  getting  away,  that  when  I  heard 
it  I  wondered  why  I  had  not  thought  of  it  at  once. 
She  said  I  must  be  sick  in  the  morning,  not  so  sick 
that  I  could  not  ride,  but  sick  enough  to  demand  the 
care  of  my  white  doctor,  and  must  tell  the  Indians 
that  I  would  have  to  go  to  him  at  once,  but  would 
return  in  a  few  days  and  finish  the  hunt.  I  must 
not,  she  said,  on  any  account  remain  in  the  village 
another  day.  Even  while  Wah-kee-nah  was  telling 
me  this,  I  had  outlined  in  my  own  mind  just  how  I 
could  carry  out  her  plan,  and  I  felt  no  little  exulta- 
tion in  the  thought  that  my  safety  was  assured, 
unless  the  war-chief  should  return  before  I  got  away, 
which  was  not  probable,  as  Wah-kee-nah  said  they 
did  not  expect  him  under  two  days.  Then  it 
occurred  to  me  that  Wah-kee-nah  herself  was  in 
great  danger ;  for  should  her  tribe  learn  what  she 
had  done  they  would  surely  kill  her.  I  told  her  this, 
and  that  I  could  not  let  her  go  alone.  But  she 
promptly  reminded  me  that  these  were  her  own 
people,  whom  she  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting  quite 
frequently,  and  added  quite  naively  that  her  only 
danger  was  in  being  seen  with  me. 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 5  3 

"  That  is  true/'  I  said  ;  "  I  will  do  what  you  say ; 
and  now  you  must  go  quickly." 

"  Yes,"  she  replied  ;  "  I  shall  see  you  at  home  day 
after  to-morrow."  Then  with  a  noiseless  tread  she 
stealthily  vanished  from  my  sight  in  the  thick  wood. 

I  watched  her  lithe,  retreating  figure  as  with  swift, 
noiseless  footsteps  she  disappeared  in  the  thick  dark- 
ness of  the  wood.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  I  fully 
realized  what  she  had  done, — how  much  she  had  risked 
for  me, — and  my  heart  was  very  full.  It  is  nearly 
forty  years  since  that  February  night  when  I  lay 
looking  up  at  the  stars  whose  coy  glances  twinkled 
through  the  cedar  branches,  and  the  blood  does 
not  course  as  swiftly  through  my  veins  as  in  those 
earlier  years.  But  I  have  not  forgotten  that  on  that 
night  I  wiped  away  a  silent  tear  as  in  my  inmost 
soul  I  breathed  a  fervent  prayer  that  the  good  God 
who  created  all  races  of  men  would  watch  over  and 
protect  the  savage  maid  whose  form  had  just 
mingled  with  the  shadows. 

The  hours  seemed  long  before  morning  came,  for 
I  was  ill  at  ease,  and  sleep  but  dallied  with  my  eye- 
lids. I  think  I  never  felt  better  physically,  however, 
in  my  life,  but  I  soon  grew  desperately  sick.  And 
in  order  that  I  might  look  it  as  well  as  act  it,  I  took 
the  precaution  to  swallow  some  tobacco  ;  and  any 
of  my  masculine  readers  who  remember  their  ex- 
perience in  learning  to  "  chew,"  will  realize  that  I 
not  only  looked  sick,  but  felt  so.  The  Indians  see- 
ing how  very  pale  I  looked,  began  asking  me  what 
was  the  matter,  I  told  them  I  had  been  taken  very 


154  Wah-kee-nah 


ill  in  the  night  and  must  go  to  a  doctor.  They  at 
once  offered  to  summon  their  medicine  man,  but  I 
said  I  knew  what  was  the  matter,  as  I  had  been 
troubled  with  such  attacks  before,  and  the  white 
doctor  always  brought  me  out  all  right.  So,  I  said,  I 
would  go  to  him,  and  his  medicine  would  fix  me  all 
right  in  two  or  three  days,  when  I  would  return  and 
finish  the  hunt.  I  saw  them  holding  a  long  council, 
lasting  until  into  the  afternoon  before  any  one  went 
to  bring  me  a  horse  ;  but  finally  they  brought  one, 
and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  I  made  good  use  of  him 
until  I  reached  the  river.  There  I  took  a  canoe  and 
arrived  home  in  safety  on  the  following  morning, 
where  I  was  welcomed  with  great  rejoicing.  It  is 
perhaps  unnecessary  to  add  that  I  did  not  return  to 
finish  the  hunt  in  the  Yakima  country. 

It  was  only  after  my  return  that  I  learned  the  de- 
tails of  Wah-kee-nah's  coming  to  me  in  the  woods. 
She  undertook  to  rescue  me  from  my  imminent 
though  unconscious  danger  entirely  upon  her  own 
motion ;  and  when  she  had  made  her  plans  she  con- 
fided her  intention  to  my  brother  and  his  wife,  and 
received  from  both  their  hearty  approval.  This 
noble  girl  paddled  a  canoe  up  the  river  thirty  miles, 
and  then  travelled  about  twenty-five  miles  through 
the  dense  forest,  on  foot  and  alone,  to  save  my  life. 

This  incident,  though  it  is  more  than  usually 
striking  by  reason  of  its  principal  actor  being  a  girl, 
is  but  a  typical  illustration  of  the  depth  and  sincerity 
of  Indian  friendship,  of  which,  as  I  iiave  said  before, 
I  have  known  numerous  instances.  It  is  upon  such 


A  nd  Her  People.  155 


acts  that  I  found  my  belief  that  there  does  not  exist 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth  a  race  that  is  less  treach- 
erous or  more  true  to  a  friend  than  the  Indian. 

My  readers  will  naturally  want  to  know  what  be- 
came of  the  beautiful  Indian  girl  of  whose  life  I  have 
sketched  some  of  the  leading  incidents,  as  I  knew 
them. 

A  little  while  before  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Yakima  war, — from  being  possibly  the  first  victim 
of  which  Wah-kee-nah  so  heroically  rescued  me, — 
the  eldest  son  of  the  head  chief  of  the  Yakimas, 
a  fine-looking  young  Indian,  named  Le-lim,  came 
several  times  to  see  Wah-kee-nah.  He  courted  her 
assiduously,  but  she  always  refused  his  offer  of  mar- 
riage. I  asked  her  one  day  why  she  did  this.  Her 
dusky  cheek  flushed  a  little  richer  red  as  she  replied  : 
"  I  do  not  want  to  leave  my  pleasant  home.  I  am 
happy  here.  I  like  the  whites  better  than  the  Indians, 
and  if  I  ever  marry  I  want  to  marry  a  white  man." 

When  the  war  broke  out  all  friendly  communica- 
tion between  the  Yakimas  and  the  whites  was 
naturally  broken  off,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  the  hand- 
some young  chief.  I  left  Oregon  immediately  after 
the  war  ;  but  I  learned  that  Le-lim  soon  after  re- 
newed his  visits  to  Wah-kee-nah.  He  was  a  persist- 
ent lover,  and  evidently  one  who  believed  that  "  Faint 
heart  never  won  fair  lady" — or  Indian  maid.  His 
unremitting  and  earnest  wooing  finally  brought  its 
great  reward.  He  won  for  his  bride  the  peerless 
beauty  of  his  tribe,  and  Wah-kee-nah  returned  to 
her  own  people  the  wife  of  the  chieftain's  son. 


15-6  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

I  know  not  whether  now  she  be  living  or  dead ; 
but  I  do  know  that  never  a  whiter  soul,  never  a 
braver  heart,  were  incarnated  than  the  heart  and  soul 
which  dwelt  in  the  beautiful  body  of  Wah-kee-nah. 
When  this  little  volume  leaves  the  press  I  shall  try 
to  have  it  find  her  if  she  be  living,  or  find  her  de- 
scendants if  she  shall  have  gone  to  the  spirit  land  ; 
for  I  would  like  to  have  her  know,  and  have  them 
know,  that  years  have  not  dimmed  the  memory  or 
blunted  the  gratitude  of  the  friend  for  whom  she 
risked  her  life ;  and  that  he  pays  her  this  sincere  and 
loving  tribute. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

WITHIN  a  day  or  two  after  my  return  from 
the  Yakima  country,  as  narrated  in  the  fore- 
going chapter,  the  Indians  began  murder- 
ing the  white  settlers,  thus  inaugurating  the  Indian 
war  which  took  place  in  Oregon  and  Washington 
territories  in  1856,  and  was  known  as  the  Yakima 
war.  It  was  brought  on  by  causes  similar  to  those 
which  have  occasioned  every  other  war  between  the 
Indians  and  whites  that  I  have  ever  known  or  heard 
of.  But  it  has  been  said  that  the  Indians  themselves 
began  this  war — that  they  struck  the  first  blow,  and 
were  therefore  clearly  the  aggressors.  Yes,  without 
doubt — the  immediate  aggressors ;  but  only  after 
they  had  submitted  to  outrages  and  villainies  on  the 
part  of  the  whites,  until  patience  ceased  to  be  a 
virtue  and  further  endurance  was  impossible. 

Major-General  John  E.  Wool,  who  commanded 
the  forces  of  the  United  States  in  this  war,  says  in 
his  official  report  to  the  War  Department  : 

"  If  one  half  the  money  appropriated  for  the 
Indians  in  California  had  been  properly  and  judi- 
ciously expended,  it  appears  to  me  we  would  have 
had  no  trouble  with  them." 


158  Wah-kee-nah 


Speaking  of  the  hanging  of  an  Indian  by  a  party 
of  whites,  he  uses  this  strong  language.:  "  The  sub- 
Indian  agent  ought  to  have  been  arrested  and  con- 
fined for  permitting  or  sanctioning  so  great  an 
outrage." 

Referring  to  a  certain  settlement  of  white  men, 
he  remarks :  "  The  Indians  living  near  there  are  con- 
tinually exposed  to  the  brutal  assaults  of  drunken 
and  lawless  white  men  ;  their  women  are  assaulted  ; 
and  if  the  assault  is  resented,  the  Indians  are  beaten 
and  often  shot.  So  great  is  their  dread  that,  upon 
the  approach  of  the  whites,  the  women  run  to  the 
mountains  and  hide  until  the  whites  have  left.  A 
great  many  cases  of  ill-treatment  might  be  mentioned 
and  they  are  so  common  here  as  scarcely  to  excite 
comment.  If  there  had  been  the  same  desire  to  do 
justice  to  the  Indians  and  to  maintain  peace,  that 
there  was  to  make  war  and  plunder  the  Indians  of 
their  lands,  horses,  and  cattle,  we  should  have  been 
relieved  of  all  trouble,  and  the  United  States  of  a 
very  large  expenditure  of  money." 

In  regard  to  a  case  in  which  the  Indians  had  killed 
a  white  man,  he  says  :  "  I  will  simply  remark  that 
the  death  of  Sub-Agent  Wright  was  caused  by  an 
old  grudge  against  him  for  attempting,  before  he 
was  appointed  Agent,  to  poison  a  whole  band  of 
Indians." 

Noticing  further  the  causes  which  had  led  the 
Indians  to  take  up  arms,  he  says  : 

"  Another  source  is  the  outrages  which  are  com- 
mitted on  the  persons  of  friendly  Indians,  from  re- 


And  Her  People.  \  5 9 

venge  or  mere  wantonness.  A  few  days  since,  an 
old  Indian  was  most  wantonly  shot  in  the  town  of 
Steilacoom.  .  .  .  Not  long  since,  two  Indians 
who  had  been  arrested  and  were  in  chains,  were  shot 
down  in  Olympia.  These  several  murders  have 
caused  great  excitement  among  the  Indians.  .  .  . 
Three  friendly  Sno-qual-a-mie  Indians  were  atro- 
ciously murdered  near  Seattle,  and  one  at  Mound 
Prairie." 

The  extracts  quoted  are  all  from  the  General's 
report  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  personally  know 
of  some  most  inhuman  and  outrageous  murders.  In 
one  case,  a  father  and  mother  were  shot  down  while 
defending  their  daughter  from  the  assaults  of  two 
white  men. 

These  disgraceful  and  inhuman  atrocities  make  a 
bad  showing  for  the  settlers  of  those  territories. 
There  were  as  good  people  residing  there,  however, 
as  ever  inhabited  any  part  of  the  globe  ;  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  gold  excitement  of  1849-50 
had  drawn  to  the  Pacific  Coast  a  vast  number  of  ad- 
venturous and  lawless  men, — a  horde  which  the 
better  element  was  totally  unable  to  control  during 
the  first  few  years ;  and  when  these  outrages  were 
committed,  the  law-abiding  citizens  were  absolutely 
powerless  to  arrest  and  punish  the  perpetrators. 
These  lawless  men  had  no  settled  home,  and  when 
they  committed  a  crime,  if  they  saw  the  smallest 
probability  of  punishment  they  would  mount  their 
ponies  and  go  to  some  mining  camp  or  other  place 
where  they  could  not  be  found. 


1 60  Wah-kee-nah 


By  the  Indians  the  whites  are  all  regarded  as 
brothers.  We  are  all  as  one  great  tribe  to  them. 
Hence  if  a  white  man  killed  an  Indian,  the  Indians 
considered  it  perfectly  proper  and  just  to  retaliate 
by  killing  any  white  man  who  fell  into  their  power, 
without  regard  to  his  having  had  any  direct  connec- 
tion with  the  crime  against  them.  This  of  course 
could  not  be  tolerated  by  the  white  settlers.  They 
could  not  be  disinterested  spectators  to  the  murder 
of  some  innocent  citizen  in  retaliation  for  the  act  of 
a  lawless,  wanton  scoundrel.  Had  the  Indians  con- 
fined themselves  to  seeking  out  and  killing  the 
miserable  villains  who  had  injured  them,  there  would 
have  been  no  war.  But  looking  at  the  matter  from 
the  Indians'  point  of  view,  can  we  fail  to  see  that, 
according  to  their  lights,  they  were  fully  justified  in 
making  war  ?  The  whites  suffered  heavily  in  this 
war ;  but  it  resulted,  as  all  Indian  wars  have  re- 
sulted, in  greater  disaster  to  the  Indians  themselves. 
First  and  last,  they  have  always  been  the  greatest 
sufferers. 

Indian  wars  have  always  been  fraught  with  ter- 
rible calamity  to  the  white  settlers  in  their  vicinity ; 
for,  when  on  the  war-path,  Indians  are  cruel  and 
without  mercy,  and  death  is  much  to  be  preferred 
to  falling  alive  into  their  hands. 

Many  heroic  deeds  and  hair-breadth  escapes  oc- 
curred among  the  settlers  during  the  Yakima  war. 
One  which  I  will  relate  illustrates  the  fortitude  and 
courage  of  woman  in  the  face  of  deadly  peril. 

A  man  who  was  living  on  a  ranch  some  six  miles 


And  Her  People.  1 6 1 

distant  from  the  nearest  village,  in  order  to  secure 
the  safety  of  his  wife  and  daughter,  started  to  go  to 
the  village  to  make  arrangements  for  moving  them 
there  before  the  war  should  reach  his  section.  He 
had  been  gone  from  the  ranch  but  a  short  time, 
when  his  wife  saw  ten  Indians  all  in  war  paint  (which 
was  a  sure  indication  of  their  purpose)  approaching 
the  house.  This  woman  and  her  sixteen-year-old 
daughter  were  accustomed,  like  most  women  in  that 
country,  to  handling  the  rifle,  and  they  each  seized 
one  and  fired  upon  the  approaching  warriors.  The 
weapons  had  been  well  aimed,  and  two  of  the 
Indians  bit  the  dust.  The  others  fled  precipitately 
to  a  piece  of  woods  back  of  the  house  and  about 
three  hundred  feet  distant,  and  began  firing  their 
arrows  into  the  windows.  The  women  kept  good 
watch,  and  whenever  an  Indian  showed  himself  they 
fired  on  him.  In  this  way  they  succeeded  in  killing 
two  more  of  their  foes  during  the  afternoon.  The 
Indians  tried  to  set  fire  to  the  house  with  fire- 
arrows,  and  just  at  nightfall  succeeded  in  doing  so. 
But  the  brave  mistress  of  the  beleaguered  house  was 
equal  to  the  emergency.  She  promptly  gained  the 
roof  and  extinguished  the  fire,  her  courageous 
daughter  bringing  the  water  to  her.  During  this 
time  the  mother  received  an  arrow  in  her  side,  but, 
regardless  of  the  pain,  remained  on  the  roof  till  the 
fire  was  out ;  she  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
killed  but  for  the  partial  darkness. 

Coming  down   from   the    roof,    the   women    fired 
several  shots  into  the  woods  to  let  their  besiegers 


1 62  Wah-kee-nah 


know  they  were  still  in  fighting  trim.  Then  under 
cover  of  the  darkness  they,  each  with  her  trusty 
rifle,  crept  stealthily  out  of  the  house  by  the  front 
door,  keeping  the  house  between  them  and  the  In- 
dians until  they  reached  the  woods.  They  groped 
their  way  through  the  thick  darkness  of  the  woods, 
until  they  reached  a  little  stream  which  they  knew 
ran  through  the  village,  and  following  this,  reached 
the  village  about  daylight  the  next  morning. 

A  party  immediately  started  to  learn  the  fate  of 
the  husband,  and  found  that  this  band  of  Indians 
had  met  him  shortly  after  he  left  the  ranch,  and  had 
killed  him.  His  body  was  found  on  the  road  about 
two  miles  from  his  home,  pierced  with  arrows.  There 
was  every  indication  that  when  he  became  aware  of 
the  presence  of  the  Indians  he  had  turned  his  horse 
and  attempted  to  get  back  to  his  family.  The  prints 
of  the  horse's  feet  were  plainly  visible  in  the  road, 
first  going  toward  the  village  at  an  easy  gait,  then 
back  for  about  half  a  mile,  on  a  run.  How  he  be- 
came apprised  of  the  presence  of  the  Indians  and 
how  they  could  kill  him,  he  being  mounted  and  they 
on  foot,  can  only  be  conjectured  ;  but  the  probability 
is  that  he  was  ambushed. 

The  mother's  wound  was  not  very  serious,  and 
she  soon  recovered.  After  they  had  left  the  house 
the  Indians  burned  it — probably  setting  it  on  fire 
again  with  fire-arrows,  and  consoling  themselves 
with  the  thought  that  they  were  avenging  the  death 
of  their  four  brother-warriors,  by  the  roasting  of  the 
two  plucky  women  whose  prowess  had  sent  them  to 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 63 

the  spirit-land.  I  looked  at  this  little  mother  with 
perfect  astonishment  while  she  was  telling  me  her 
story,  and  marvelled  greatly  that  so  much  courage 
and  "  clear  grit  "  could  exist  in  so  frail  a  body. 

The  sufferings  of  the  whites  during  Indian  wars 
are  well  known ;  but  there  is  no  record  of  those  of 
the  Indians.  They  have  no  hospitals  to  care  for 
their  wounded,  no  anaesthetics  to  relieve  pain.  If 
their  sufferings  during  the  war,  and  those  caused  by 
the  whites  in  times  of  peace  could  all  be  told,  they 
would  show  an  aggregate  of  misery  that  could  not 
fail  to  wring  pity  from  a  heart  of  flint. 

A  Chehalis  Indian  (who  had  not  joined  in  the  war, 
but  had  with  others  moved  close  to  a  white  settle- 
ment in  order  to  be  known  and  recognized  as  friendly 
Indians)  told  me  that  one  day  his  wife  with  her 
three  children,  the  eldest  a  boy  of  ten,  went  into  the 
woods  to  pick  berries.  While  there  two  white  men 
came  along  and  assaulted  her.  While  she  was  strug- 
gling with  them  her  boy  struck  one  of  the  men  with 
a  stick  no  thicker  than  a  man's  thumb,  whereupon 
the  wretch  drew  his  revolver  and  shot  the  little  fel- 
low, the  ball  entering  his  shoulder  and  passing  down 
into  his  body.  The  poor  boy  lived  eleven  days,  suf- 
fering the  most  intense  agony.  While  the  stricken 
father  was  telling  me  this  story,  the  tears  coursed 
down  his  cheeks  and  his  body  trembled  from  head 
to  foot.  "  My  poor  little  boy,  how  he  suffered  !  "  he 
said  ;  "  Oh  !  my  poor  little  boy  !  "  and  his  voice  was 
stifled  in  sobs.  My  own  eyes  were  wet  as  I  listened, 
and  thought  of  the  sufferings  endured  by  that  poor 


164  Wah-kee-nak 


little  child  during  those  eleven  long  days  before 
death  mercifully  came  to  release  him.  The  brave 
little  fellow's  only  crime  was  that  he  had  sought  to 
defend  as  best  he  could  the  mother  he  loved  from 
the  brutality  of  a  "  civilized  "  white  man. 

One  more  story  from  the  many  tales  of  wrong  and 
suffering  that  came  to  my  knowledge  must  suffice. 

I  was  riding  one  afternoon  with  three  friends,  and 
when  about  six  miles  from  the  village  we  saw  an 
old  broken-down  horse  feeding  by  the  side  of  the 
trail.  His  back  was  very  sore,  and  one  of  our  party 
made  the  remark  that  any  one  who  would  use  a  horse 
until  he  was  in  such  a  condition  ought  to  be  pun- 
ished. While  talking,  we  heard  a  groan,  and,  mov- 
ing on  a  little  farther,  came  upon  an  Indian  lying  on 
the  ground,  and  apparently  in  great  agony.  I  asked 
him  what  had  happened,  and  he  told  me  that  he 
had  that  morning  met  here  a  white  man  riding  the 
old  horse  we  had  just  seen.  The  white  man  told 
him  he  wanted  to  trade  horses  with  him,  but  as  the 
Indian  had  a  good  horse  and  the  horse  the  man  was 
riding  was  good  for  nothing,  he  said  he  would  not 
trade,  and  rode  on  toward  the  village.  But  he  had 
gone  only  a  few  paces  when  the  white  man  shot  him 
in  the  back.  He  fell  from  his  horse,  which  the 
white  man  then  mounted  and  rode  away.  I  examined 
the  wound  and  found  that  a  large  pistol  bullet  had 
entered  his  back  just  under  the  shoulder-blade,  and 
passed  entirely  through  his  body.  I  ascertained  that 
his  home  was  about  seven  miles  distant,  and  when  I 
told  him  that  I  would  go  and  inform  his  people,  he 


And  Her  People.  1 65 

seemed  greatly  pleased.  So  we  made  a  bed  of 
grass  and  laid  him  carefully  upon  it,  and  while  my 
friends  remained  to  watch  over  him,  I  rode  off  to 
his  wigwam.  When  I  arrived  there  I  inquired  for 
his  brother,  and  as  soon  as  lie  came,  related  what 
had  happened. 

His  expression  I  shall  never  forget.  Intense 
grief  and  anger  were  so  mingled  in  that  dusky  face 
that  it  photographed  itself  indelibly  upon  my  mind. 
He  called  to  one  of  the  women  not  far  away,  and  a 
few  brief  words  apprised  her  of  what  had  occurred 
to  her  husband.  She  cried  aloud  in  her  great  grief, 
and  her  two  children  joined  in  the  crying. 

Then  four  Indians  mounted  their  ponies  and, 
leaving  the  weeping  mother  and  children,  followed 
me  at  a  rapid  pace  back  to  the  place  where  I  had 
left  my  friends  and  their  charge.  But  the  wounded 
man  was  beyond  human  aid.  He  had  died  only  a 
few  minutes  before  we  reached  the  place.  They 
wrapped  the  body  in  a  blanket,  and  putting  it  upon 
one  of  the  ponies,  bore  it  back  to  the  widowed 
mother  and  her  children.  I  draw  a  veil  over  the 
scene  at  that  wigwam ;  and  it  is  needless  to  attempt 
to  put  in  words  the  feelings  toward  white  men  which 
such  cowardly  butchery  would  naturally  inspire  in 
the  hearts  of  the  family  and  tribe  of  the  victim. 

We  tried  to  ascertain  who  it  was  that  had  com- 
mitted this  most  cowardly  murder.  It  was  believed 
to  have  been  a  Mexican,  who  had  been  for  a  day  or 
two  in  the  village,  and  who  was  travelling  from  one 
mining  camp  to  another.  A  party  started  out  upon 


1 66          Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People, 

his  trail  the  next  morning,  but  after  following  it  for 
two  days,  came  back  unsuccessful. 

Volumes  have  been  written  regarding  "  Indian 
atrocities,"  and  the  "  red  devils "  who  perpetrated 
them  have  been  painted  as  without  mercy  and  with- 
out feeling ;  as  fiends  incarnate ;  but  the  whole 
damning  story  of  white  atrocities  against  the  Indians 
must  forever  remain  unwritten.  The  Indians  wrote 
no  history,  had  no  literature  ;  but  they  were  not 
devoid  of  human  feeling  and  a  sense  of  justice. 
They  knew  and  remembered  the  bitter  wrongs  of 
their  race,  and,  so  far  as  they  could,  avenged  them. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  marriage  ceremony  differed  considerably 
among  the  various  tribes  composing  the  Chi- 
nook family.  In  one  which  I  witnessed  near  the 
Columbia  River,  the  groom  had  made  his  proposal  to 
the  maid  of  his  choice,  aged  about  seventeen ;  the  usual 
presents  had  been  proffered  and  accepted  ;  and  all  was 
in  readiness  for  the  wedding  when  I  arrived  in  the 
village.  The  groom  opened  the  ceremony.  He  was 
dressed  in  gala  costume,  and  carried  a  blanket.  This 
he  threw  on  the  grass  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
wigwam  of  the  bride  and  seated  himself  upon  it  with 
an  expression  upon  his  face  as  melancholy  as  if  he 
was  there  to  be  shot.  He  was  soon  surrounded  by 
his  friends ;  but  this  living  circle  was  left  open  on 
the  side  nearest  the  wigwam  of  the  bride.  She  soon 
appeared  in  front  of  the  wigwam,  looking  very  pretty 
in  a  costume  which  comprised  all  the  finery  she 
possessed.  Standing  there  a  few  minutes  until  all 
her  family  and  friends  had  joined  her,  she  started  at 
a  slow  pace  toward  the  groom,  who  now  looked,  if 
possible,  more  dejected  than  before.  Her  friends 
followed  her  closely  in  procession,  all  chanting 
monotonously,  while  the  bride  walked  in  silence. 

167 


1 68  Wah-kee-nah 


When  about  twenty  feet  from  the  groom  the  little 
procession  came  to  a  halt,  the  bride  keeping  her  eyes 
steadily  fixed  upon  the  ground.  Then  the  groom's 
party  began  chanting,  and  one  of  their  number 
stepped  forward  and  presented  a  blanket  to  the 
chief  master  of  ceremonies,  the  father  of  the  bride. 
Following  this  presentation  the  bride's  party  joined 
in  the  singing,  all  chanting  in  chorus,  while  the  bride 
tripped  briskly  forward  to  the  groom  and  seated  her- 
self beside  him  at  his  left  hand.  Then  the  father  of 
the  bride,  advancing  with  stately  tread,  threw  the 
blanket  that  had  been  given  him  over  the  heads  of 
the  couple,  covering  them  completely.  Up  to  this 
time  the  groom  had  not  raised  his  eyes  from  the 
ground ;  but  whether  he  continued  to  remain  so  de- 
mure while  under  the  blanket  I  will  not  presume 
to  say. 

As  soon  as  the  bride's  father  resumed  his  place 
among  his  own  party,  the  chanting  of  both  parties 
became  louder,  and  all  began  dancing  around  the 
couple  in  the  most  fantastic  style.  After  about  ten 
minutes  the  chanting  and  dancing  came  to  an  end, 
and  both  parties  formed  a  line,  the  groom's  friends 
upon  the  right  and  the  bride's  upon  the  left.  The 
father  of  the  groom,  who  was  master  of  ceremonies 
for  his  side,  then  advanced  and  removed  the  blanket 
that  had  covered  the  "  happy  pair,"  and  while  they 
were  still  sitting  made  a  speech  of  some  length  in 
which  he  recited  the  principal  duties  of  a  wife  to  her 
husband,  and  those  of  a  husband  to  his  wife.  Both 
listened  with  downcast  eyes,  but  it  was  noted  that 


And  Her  People.  1 69 

the  groom  had  lost  his  melancholy  expression  under 
the  blanket,  and  I  thought  I  caught  a  little  twinkle 
in  the  bride's  shy  eyes.  When  the  speaker  had 
finished  he  uttered  a  loud  guttural  sound — a  sort  of 
Indian  "  Amen." 

Thereupon  the  husband  and  wife  (as  they  now 
were)  arose.  The  groom's  father  placed  the  blanket 
which  had  covered  them  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
bride  and  the  other  blanket  upon  the  shoulders  of 
the  groom.  Then,  stepping  out  in  front,  he  gave 
the  signal  and  all  started  for  the  groom's  wigwam, 
the  newly  married  pair  marching  between  the  two 
lines.  On  arriving  at  the  future  residence  of  the 
couple  they  halted,  and  the  groom's  father  raised  the 
door  of  the  wigwam.  Quickly  turning,  the  bride 
sprang  lithely  upon  the  back  of  the  groom,  and,  amid 
the  most  vociferous  chanting  of  all  present,  was 
carried  by  him  into  his  wigwam.  As  soon  as  they 
had  crossed  the  threshold  the  father  dropped  the 
curtain,  and  all  dispersed,  to  gather  later  in  the 
afternoon  and  participate  in  a  feast  at  the  home  of 
the  newly  married.  In  the  early  evening  I  paid  my 
respects,  and  had  quite  a  chat  with  them.  They 
seemed  very  happy.  This  was  a  "  marriage  in  high 
life,"  and  I  was  informed  that  it  was  purely  a  love- 
match. 

The  ceremony  I  have  just  described  was  a  very 
pretty  one ;  but  of  a  far  more  exciting  nature  was 
an  engagement  and  marriage  I  once  witnessed  among 
the  mountain  Indians.  The  tribes  living  near  the 
Columbia  River  did  their  travelling  in  canoes,  and  had 


1 70  Wah-kee-nah 


but  few  horses ;  but  the  mountain  Indians  had  many 
horses  and  were  expert  riders. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  a  very  pretty  girl, 
especially  if  she  were  a  chief's  daughter,  would  have 
many  suitors  vying  with  each  other  for  the  posses- 
sion of  her  heart  and  hand.  Occasionally  duels  grew 
out  of  such  rivalry,  but  this  was  not  of  frequent  occur- 
rence, as  the  older  people  usually  managed  to  avert 
so  serious  a  termination  of  affairs,  by  proposing  some 
game  of  chance  or  deed  of  daring,  in  which  he  who 
won  should  also  be  the  winner  of  the  maiden.  In 
other  words  she  became  the  high  stake  for  which  they 
contended. 

In  the  case  I  now  speak  of,  the  maiden  was  a 
chiefs  daughter  and  a  beauty.  She  had  four  suitors. 
They  had  each  been  sending  presents,  and  these  were 
all  accepted  by  the  parents,  which  signified  that  so 
far  as  they  were  concerned  there  was  no  preference. 
It  was  the  custom,  however,  to  return  all  gifts  except 
those  from  the  suitor  who  should  win  the  girl.  A 
chase  on  horseback  was  proposed  as  the  method  by 
which  the  contest  should  be  decided — the  maiden  to 
marry  the  lucky  man  who  should  catch  her  in  the 
race. 

This  most  exciting  love-chase  took  place  on  a 
bright  June  afternoon.  The  Indian  village  where 
the  chief  lived  was  located  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains, in  a  beautiful  grove  skirting  the  large  prairie 
where  the  ponies  fed.  The  girl  was  allowed  to  make 
her  choice  of  horses,  and  she  selected  one  that  she 
thought  the  fleetest — a  fine  black  ;  and  as  I  carefully 


And  Her  People.  1 7 1 

looked  at  the  animal  it  seemed  to  me  that  she  had 
chosen  wisely.  The  young  men  had  their  own 
horses.  It  was  agreed  that  the  maiden  should  be 
given  several  minutes,  before  the  young  men  should 
be  allowed  to  start. 

I  made  inquiry  as  to  which  one  of  these  young 
men  was  supposed  to  be  favored  by  the  chiefs 
daughter,  and  was  informed  that  it  was  he  with  the 
bay  horse;  He  was  a  handsome  young  warrior  and 
the  most  intelligent-looking  of  the  four,  though  they 
were  all  fine  specimens  of  athletic  youth.  The  girl 
looked  very  handsome  mounted  upon  her  spirited 
black.  She  was  attired  in  the  usual  summer  costume 
of  the  mountain  Indian  girl  which  showed  to  ad- 
vantage her  large  and  well  developed  figure,  but  she 
had  put  on  also  a  closely  fitting  and  beautifully 
embroidered  buckskin  jacket,  and  her  heavy  black 
hair  was  braided  up  and  confined  closely  to  her 
head.  As  she  rode  at  an  easy  pace  out  over  the 
prairie,  she  looked  an  object  well  worthy  of  pursuit ; 
but  there  was  a  determined  look  in  her  snapping 
black  eyes  as  she  rode  away  which  indicated  that 
this  was  to  be  a  very  real  race. 

When  the  time  came  for  the  pursuers  to  mount 
and  start,  I  gave  special  attention  to  the  bay  horse, 
and  was  annoyed  not  a  little  to  see  the  rascal  com- 
mence bucking  the  moment  his  rider  was  on  his 
back.  By  the  time  he  started  the  others  were  far  in 
advance.  But  the  girl  was  evidently  looking  over 
her  shoulder  to  see  how  matters  were  going,  and 
when  she  saw  the  bay  so  far  behind  she  began 


1 72  Wah-kee-nah 


adroitly  to  guide  her  horse  in  a  circle  which  would 
naturally  give  the  bay  a  chance  to  "  cut  across  "  and 
get  even  with  his  competitors ;  but  they  were  all 
too  far  ahead  to  have  this  ingenious  little  scheme 
succeed  to  any  extent.  The  others  quickly  changed 
their  course,  and  the  girl  was  about  being  inter- 
cepted, when  she  turned  and  ran  her  horse  at  the 
top  of  his  speed  towards  the  upper  end  of  the 
woods. 

Her  horse  was  much  the  best  runner,  and  she  was 
able  to  keep  them  all  at  a  distance,  unless  the  black 
should  tire  under  her — it  being  an  undoubted  fact 
that  a  woman  can  never  get  as  much  work  out  of  a 
horse  as  a  man  is  able  to  obtain.  I  was  on  horse- 
back, as  were  many  of  the  Indians,  and  we  hurried 
to  the  upper  end  of  the  wood  when  we  saw  her 
evidently  making  for  that  point. 

But  when  she  reached  the  wood  she  seemed  to 
find  the  trees  so  thick  as  to  impede  her  progress, 
and  her  pace  slackened  to  a  slow  trot. 

On  came  her  pursuers,  two  of  them  far  in  advance 
and  nearly  abreast  of  each  other.  It  is  a  critical 
moment.  They  are  gaining  upon  the  girl  at  every 
step,  and  now  but  the  distance  of  a  few  rods 
separates  her  from  the  triumphant  grasp  of  a  man 
for  whom  she  has  no  love.  Alas,  unhappy  maid  ! 
and  alas,  thrice  unhappy  rider  of  the  treacherous 
bay  ;  your  happiness  is  lost !  You  must  helplessly 
see  another  win  the  prize  your  prowess  should  have 
gained  !  It  is  now  only  a  question  of  which  of  the 
two  leaders  shall  secure  a  beautiful  though  unwilling 


And  Her  People.  1 7  3 

bride.  My  heart  stands  still  in  pity.  The  black 
horse  and  his  rider  seem  to  make  no  progress  in  the 
thicker  wood,  while  their  pursuers  are  rapidly  lessen- 
ing the  intervening  space. 

Forward  they  dash,  neck  and'neck,  each  horse  and 
rider  straining  every  nerve  to  be  first  at  the  side  of 
the  steaming  black  and  his  beautiful  rider,  now  but 
a  few  yards  ahead.  At  this  juncture  the  sorely 
pressed  maiden  casts  one  swift  glance  over  her 
shoulder.  Never  shall  I  forget  the  expression  of 
that  face.  Her  dusky  cheeks  are  tinged  a  deeper 
red,  her  teeth  are  tight  set,  while  her  full  red  lips  are 
drawn  over  them  in  a  straight  hard  line ;  and  her 
eyes !  surely  it  is  no  look  of  despair  that  blazes  out 
from  those  dark  magnificent  eyes  !  What  can  it 
mean  ?  In  an  instant  she  had  reined  her  horse  a 
little  to  the  left,  and  passed  between  two  great  trees 
into  what  was  nearly  an  open  space  beyond.  A 
moment  later,  and  the  full  import  of  her  look 
became  clear  to  me. 

Upon  either  side  of  the  narrow  opening  through 
which  she  had  so  deftly  passed,  the  low-growing 
branches  of  the  great  trees  and  the  thick  underbrush 
formed  for  some  distance  an  impenetrable  barrier. 
The  opening  between  the  trees  was  not  wide  enough 
for  two  horses  to  pass  abreast  !  The  two  eager 
suitors  evidently  realized  the  situation,  but  the  prize 
for  which  they  struggled  was  the  flower  of  Indian 
beauty ;  their  blood  was  up,  and  neither  would  give 
way.  They  urged  their  horses  to  their  utmost  speed, 
and  both  rode  straight  at  the  opening.  In  the  par- 


1 74  Wah-kee-nah 


tial  turn  that  had  to  be  made,  the  rider  on  the  left 
gained  a  slight  advantage,  and  it  seemed  for  one 
brief  moment,  as  his  panting  horse  put  his  nose  be- 
tween the  trees,  that  he  would  slip  through  ahead. 
But  what  he  had  gained  in  distance  the  rider  on  the 
outer  curve  had  gained  in  momentum.  With  a  ter- 
rific yell  he  drove  his  horse  right  into  the  narrow 
opening  !  There  was  a  crash,  mingled  with  yells  of 
rage  and  pain,  and  men  and  horses  went  down  to- 
gether in  a  helpless  struggling  heap.  Two  of  the 
lovers  of  this  plucky  girl  were  effectually  disposed 
of.  Woman's  strategy  had  scored  its  first  great 
triumph  in  this  remarkable  race. 

According  to  the  Indian  idea,  it  would  be  a  re- 
proach and  a  disgrace  should  she  allow  herself  to  be 
caught  without,  apparently  at  least,  making  every 
possible  effort  to  avoid  it ;  so  she  must  now  seem  to 
elude  the  one  to  whom  she  would  willingly  sur- 
render, no  less  than  those  by  whom  she  would  not 
be  caught.  The  bay  and  the  gray  on  which  the 
two  remaining  pursuers  rode  were  very  evenly 
matched,  and  at  this  moment  emerged  from  the 
woods  and  came  riding  down  upon  her,  nearly  neck 
and  neck,  and  not  an  eighth  of  a  mile  away.  But 
she  was  ready  for  the  race,  and  not  only  kept  good, 
but  widened,  the  intervening  distance.  She  had  a 
clear  head  and  a  quick  eye,  and  if  her  horse  held 
out,  was  evidently  mistress  of  the  situation.  With 
two  of  her  lovers  disabled  in  the  woods,  she  seemed 
easily  able  to  elude  the  other  two. 

At  times  she  would  run  in  a  circle,  and  if  one  of 


And  Her  People.  1 75 

her  pursuers  started  to  cut  it  she  would  whirl  and 
go  the  other  way,  very  much  to  his  discomfiture 
and  the  advantage  of  him  who  had  held  to  a  straight 
course ;  so  they  both  became  very  chary  about 
cutting  corners.  This  part  of  the  race  was  all  upon 
the  level  open  prairie,  and  this  beautiful  young 
savage  won  warm  admiration  by  her  equestrian  dash 
and  daring.  It  seemed  that  her  pursuers  could  not 
outrun  her,  and  they  certainly  could  not  out- 
manoeuvre her.  There  was  an  understood  rule 
applying  to  such  races,  that  after  the  lapse  of  a  cer- 
tain time — about  an  hour — the  girl  might,  if  she 
chose,  return  to  the  village,  and  if  she  arrived  there 
without  being  captured  by  any  of  her  pursuers,  she 
was  safe,  and  the  lovers  were  laughed  at  unmerci- 
fully. Whether  because  she  noticed  that  her  horse 
was  tiring  or  because  she  had  had  enough  of  it  for 
herself,  the  heroine  of  the  present  contest  concluded 
to  end  it  by  taking  advantage  of  this  rule.  So, 
watching  a  favorable  opportunity,  she  started  straight 
for  the  village.  Both  lovers  divined  her  intention 
and  both  urged  their  steeds  to  the  utmost.  The 
girl  glanced  backward  and  saw  that  the  gray  horse 
was  a  little  in  advance  of  the  bay,  and  then  she  plied 
her  whip  fast  and  furiously.  But  the  black  was 
getting  tired,  and  now  showed  it  very  plainly.  Again 
I  became  anxious  and  excited.  It  looked  as  if,  after 
all  the  strategy  and  daring  displayed  by  this  spirited 
girl  to  enable  the  man  she  loved  to  win  her,  he  was 
now  going  to  fail  at  the  last  moment ;  and,  what  was 
worse  still,  it  seemed  more  than  probable  that  she 


1 76  Wah-kee-nah 


would  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  unloved  suitor. 
Both  were  gaining  upon  her,  but  the  gray  horse  was 
now  at  least  ten  feet  ahead  of  the  bay.  Just  as  I  had 
given  up  all  as  lost,  I  saw  the  gray  stumble  and  fall. 
He  had  stepped  in  a  hole,  and  being  on  so  keen  a 
run  and  nearly  exhausted,  had  been  unable  to  regain 
his  balance  and  fell,  throwing  his  rider  flat  upon  the 
prairie.  A  quick  glance  over  the  shoulder  revealed 
the  situation  to  the  flying  girl.  She  was  still  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  outside  the  safety  line,  and 
she  did  not  cease  to  ply  her  whip ;  but  I  thought 
that  I  could  see  that  the  blows  had  grown  lighter, 
far  lighter  than  they  were  when  both  men  were  in 
pursuit ;  and  while  apparently  urging  her  steed  to 
the  utmost,  she  was  overtaken  by  the  bay  a  few  rods 
outside  of  the  safety  line. 

As  he  came  up  beside  her  he  put  his  strong  right 
arm  around  her  waist,  and  gently,  but  very  quickly, 
bore  her  from  her  horse  and  seated  her  in  front  of 
him  upon  his  own  ;  and  the  black  horse  came  in 
without  a  rider,  while  the  bay  bore  a  double  load. 

Had  this  race  taken  place  among  white  people, 
the  excitement  would  have  been  wild,  and  the  enthu- 
siasm unbounded.  The  grove  and  the  village  would 
have  rung  with  shouts  and  cheers.  And  it  would 
have  been  the  same  with  the  Indians  but  for  my 
presence.  There  was  evident  pleasure  shown  by  the 
friends  of  the  man  who  won  his  bride,  but  there  was 
no  shouting  or  cheering.  This  illustrates  a  striking 
phase  of  the  Indian's  character:  they  repress  all 
signs  of  emotion  when  in  presence  of  the  whites. 


And  Her  People.  \  7  7 

The  wedding  took  place  on  the  following  after- 
noon, and  the  ceremony  was  quite  similar  to  that 
among  the  river  Indians,  described  earlier  in  this 
chapter.  The  following  are  the  points  of  difference. 
In  this  case  instead  of  all  the  friends  forming  a  ring 
and  dancing  around  the  couple  while  under  the 
blanket,  they  formed  a  double  line  and  marched 
slowly  seven  times  around  the  couple,  devoting  each 
round  to  a  particular  spirit,  and  chanting  an  invoca- 
tion to  him. 

The  first  round  was  to  propitiate  the  Great  Spirit, 
and  in  the  chant  they  implored  him  to  be  always 
with  the  bride  and  groom  and  to  do  them  good. 

The  second  round  was  to  appease  the  Evil  Spirit, 
the  chant  beseeching  him  to  do  them  no  harm. 

The  third  round  was  to  the  Spirit  of  the 
Woods,  that  he  would  furnish  them  with  game  in 
abundance. 

The  fourth  round  was  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Water, 
that  he  would  guide  the  fish  into  their  nets. 

The  fifth  round  was  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Air,  that 
he  would  give  them  wild  fowl  in  plenty. 

The  sixth  round  was  to  the  groom,  that  he  would 
be  good  to  his  wife. 

The  seventh  round  was  to  the  bride,  that  she  would 
be  good  to  her  husband. 

Should  anything  unpropitious  happen  during  the 
marching  of  the  procession,  it  was  supposed  to  augur 
that  the  spirit  in  whose  round  it  occurred  would  not 
be  friendly  to  the  young  couple.  Should  the  unpro- 
pitious omen  occur  during  the  round  for  the  groom 


1 78  Wah-kee-nah 


the  procession  at  once  halted  and  the  master  of  cere- 
monies in  behalf  of  the  bride  advanced  to  the  couple 
and,  raising  the  blanket,  told  the  groom  what  had 
happened,  and  then  put  the  direct  question  to  him : 
"Will  you  be  good  to  her?"  and  if  he  answered 
affirmatively  the  evil  omen  was  thus  counteracted, 
and  the  march  and  chant  were  continued.  Should 
the  omen  occur  during  the  round  to  the  bride,  the 
groom's  master  of  ceremonies  proceeded  in  the  same 
way,  asking  her  if  she  would  be  good  to  her  husband, 
and  her  affirmative  reply  had  the  desired  effect. 

The  chanting  during  the  bride's  round  was  done 
entirely  by  her  friends,  who  extolled  her  virtues  and 
goodness  in  the  highest  degree.  In  the  round  to 
the  groom,  his  friends  did  the  chanting  in  his  praise. 
When  the  march  and  chant  were  finished,  the  ceremony 
proceeded  to  the  end  as  with  the  river  Chinooks. 

My  readers  will  see  that  this  was  an  exceedingly 
elaborate  as  well  as  a  very  beautiful  ceremony,  taking 
place  as  it  did  in  the  open  air,  and  on  the  soft  green 
turf  under  the  light  of  the  glad  sunshine,  the  fantastic 
and  brilliant  costumes  of  the  participants  made  it 
most  picturesque,  while  the  solemnity  and  decorum 
with  which  it  was  conducted  made  it  very  impressive. 

This,  however,  was  the  ceremony  for  people  in  high 
life.  The  more  humble  were  married  by  mere  agree- 
ment or  by  purchase,  in  which  case,  when  the  price 
had  been  paid,  and  when  the  so-called  gifts  were 
satisfactory,  the  man  took  the  girl  to  his  home  and 
she  was  thenceforth  his  wife.  No  further  ceremony 
was  required. 


And  Her  People.  1 79 

The  presents  were  sometimes  given  in  instalments, 
the  young  man  not  being  able  to  furnish  all  at  once  ; 
and  in  such  cases  he  could  not  have  his  bride  until 
the  last  article  had  been  delivered — there  being  no 
credit  extended  in  matters  connubial. 

Owing  to  their  mode  of  life  and  their  training 
from  childhood,  all  Indians  possessed  wonderful 
sagacity  and  acuteness  in  many  things. 

It  was  exceedingly  difficult  to  follow  them  through 
the  woods  when  they  did  not  wish  to  be  followed. 
They  usually,  in  such  cases,  sought  a  stream  and 
walked  in  its  waters  in  the  course  they  wished  to 
pursue,  until  some  rocks  were  found  upon  which  they 
could  step  and  walk  for  quite  a  distance.  The  sun 
and  wind  would  soon  dry  the  rocks,  leaving  no  trace 
to  indicate  where  they  left  the  water.  If,  on  the 
contrary,  they  desired  to  be  followed  by  friends, 
they  would  leave  many  signs.  They  sometimes 
stripped  the  outer  bark  from  a  tree  near  which  they 
had  camped,  and  with  hieroglyphics  informed  the 
following  party  of  all  that  had  occurred,  and  also  the 
course  they  intended  to  pursue.  The  most  common 
mode  of  giving  the  information,  however,  was  by 
driving  a  stick  with  two  splits  in  its  top  into  the 
ground  at  every  place  where  they  camped,  and 
placing  two  pointed  sticks  in  it.  The  upper  stick 
pointed  to  where  the  sun  was  when  they  left ;  if 
before  daylight,  it  pointed  down  to  where  they  sup- 
posed the  sun  to  be  at  the  time ;  if  in  the  day,  it 
pointed  directly  toward  the  sun,  so  the  following 
party  would  know  just  how  long  they  had  been 


1 80  Wah-kee-nah 


gone,  if  it  was  the  same  day.  If  longer  than  that, 
they  judged  by  the  appearance  of  the  ashes  and 
footprints,  and  generally  correctly.  The  lower  stick 
pointed  in  the  direction  they  had  gone.  Then,  as 
they  passed  along,  they  would  break  a  twig  or  branch 
here  and  there,  making  it  point  in  the  direction  they 
were  going.  If  they  changed  their  course,  they 
would  break  two  branches  near  together,  one  point- 
ing like  the  others,  the  other  in  the  direction  to 
which  they  had  turned. 

The  knowledge  of  this  last  sign  was  of  good  ser- 
vice to  me  at  one  time.  A  friend  and  myself  were 
once  in  the  forest  far  from  civilization,  hunting  elk, 
with  Indian  guides.  One  day,  when  quite  tired,  we 
told  the  guides  to  go  on  and  we  would  follow  when  we 
were  rested.  They  told  us  to  come  to  a  grassy  knoll, 
some  three  miles  beyond,  and  there  wait,  as  we  would 
camp  there.  After  resting,  we  went  to  the  knoll. 
Here  we  saw  many  fresh  signs  of  elk,  and  in  a  con- 
spicuous place  found  a  split  stick  driven  into  the 
ground,  the  upper  pointer  showing  that  our  guides 
had  left  there  about  an  hour  before,  the  lower  one 
giving  us  the  direction.  I  had  lived  with  the  Indians 
long  enough  fro  understand  that  they  wanted  us  to 
follow  them,  instead  of  remaining  there,  and  we  did 
so,  shouting  occasionally  at  the  top  of  our  voices. 
We  found  little  branches  broken  here  and  there,  and 
had  no  difficulty  in  following.  In  about  an  hour 
and  a  half  we  received  a  reply  to  our  shout,  and  soon 
found  our  guides  skinning  a  fine  elk.  They  said  they 
wounded  him  while  he  was  feeding  at  the  grassy 


And  Her  People.  1 8 1 

knoll,  and  had  tracked  him  all  that  distance  before 
getting  a  final  shot.  Feeling  confident  that  they 
would  get  him,  after  his  being  so  badly  wounded, 
and  knowing  we  should  want  to  camp  wherever  he 
fell,  they  left  the  directions  for  us  to  follow. 

Gambling,  as  I  have  said  before,  was  the  great  vice 
of  the  Indians.  It  prevailed  among  the  Chinooks, 
as  well  as  with  the  other  tribes  inhabiting  this  section 
of  country. 

I  was  once  travelling  in  my  canoe,  and  seeing  a 
good  camping-place,  had  my  Indians  paddle  to  it 
for  the  purpose  of  camping  for  the  night.  On  reach- 
ing it,  I  found  some  eight  or  ten  Klickatat  Indians 
there.  After  supper  I  went  over  to  their  camp. 
Several  of  the  men  were  gambling  with  a  set  of 
beaver's  teeth.  They  at  once  commenced  bantering 
me  to  join  them,  which  I  declined  to  do.  After  a 
while,  one  of  them  brought  his  wife,  a  very  pretty 
young  woman,  and  challenged  me  to  have  a  game 
with  him,  he  to  put  up  his  wife  as  a  wager,  against 
my  canoe.  This  generous  offer  I  also  respectfully 
declined.  He  had  a  fine  set  of  beaver's  teeth,  all 
smoked,  marked,  and  properly  dedicated  to  the  deity 
of  good  luck.  I  tried  to  buy  them  of  him,  but  he 
did  not  wish  to  sell.  He  offered  to  play  a  game  with 
me  for  them,  I  to  put  up  the  value  of  four  beavers' 
skins  (four  dollars).  I  hesitated,  for  I  feared  losing 
my  four  dollars.  The  Indians  began  bragging  about 
their  skill,  and  jocosely  taunted  me  as  to  the  white 
man's  lack  of  it,  until  finally  I  felt  called  upon  to  de- 
fend the  honor  of  my  race,  and  at  it  we  went.  For- 


1 82  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

tune  favored  me,  and  I  won  the  beaver's  teeth.  I 
gave  him  the  four  dollars,  however,  (which  was  all 
the  teeth  were  worth,  except  in  his  imagination,  as 
he  believed  them  to  be  an  especially  lucky  set)  and 
we  parted  good  friends. 

This  universal  passion  for  gambling  which  exists 
among  all  Indians,  arises  I  think,  chiefly  from  two 
causes :  first,  the  prevailing  belief  in  fate,  luck, 
chance,  or  whatever  it  may  be  termed — that  un- 
known something  which  each  believes  will  come  to 
him  in  whatever  he  undertakes  and  bring  him  suc- 
cess ;  and  second,  the  abundant  leisure  which  the 
Indian's  indolent  life  leaves  on  his  hands.  Naturally 
he  seeks  some  diversion  for  his  idle  hours,  and  his 
mind  turns  easily  to  games  of  chance.  Games  re- 
quiring skill  and  bodily  exertion  do  not  interest  him 
so  much. 

I  have  witnessed  a  great  deal  of  gambling  among 
the  Indians,  yet  I  never  saw  a  quarrel  over  any 
game,  nor  have  I  ever  seen  one  Indian  attempt  to 
cheat  another.  In  their  play  Chance  is  the  divinity 
they  worship,  and  they  submit  loyally  to  his  edicts. 
The  loser  will  accept  his  fate  with  true  Indian  stoi- 
cism, even  if  he  lose  his  all — an  example  which  the 
gambling  fraternity  of  the  white  races  might  do  well 
to  follow. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

OF  the  four  grand  geographical  divisions  into 
which  for  convenience  I  divided  the  Indians 
of  North  America,  two  have  been  consid- 
ered ;  and  we  will  now  return  to  the  Atlantic  coast 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  up  the  consideration  of  the 
third  division,  which  embraces  all  those  south  of  the 
thirty-third  parallel  of  north  latitude  and  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

It  seems  quite  certain  that  Columbus  was  not  the 
first  European  who  discovered  the  great  Western 
continent,  as  the  Norsemen  undoubtedly  preceded 
him  by  some  four  hundred  years.  But  without  any 
unnecessary  discussion  on  that  point,  it  suffices  to 
say  that  it  was  the  discovery  of  Columbus  that  gave 
an  impetus  to  settlement,  and  therefore,  whether  first 
in  point  of  time  or  not,  his  was  the  first  discovery 
that  was  followed  by  any  practical  results. 

In  1508,  Ponce  de  Leon,  a  Spanish  discoverer, 
visited  the  island  of  Porto  Rico,  and  after  procuring 
considerable  gold  from  the  natives,  sailed  for  home. 
But  not  being  satisfied  with  what  he  had  procured 
by  barter,  he  returned  the  next  year  with  an  armed 
force,  and  reduced  the  defenceless  Indians  to  vas- 

183 


184  Wah-kee-nah 


salage,  ruling  with  great  severity,  and  robbing  the 
natives  of  everything  of  value  which  they  possessed. 

In  1512  he  left  Porto  Rico,  and  landed  upon  the 
continent  of  North  America.  He  arrived  upon  the 
coast  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  March,  of  that 
year,  but  did  not  land  until  April  2d  ;  and  because 
he  found  the  country  so  fair  and  beautiful,  it  being 
in  its  finest  verdure,  and  arriving  there  on  Palm  Sun- 
day, the  Spanish  name  for  which  is  "  Pascua  Florida," 
he  called  the  country  "  Florida/'  which  name  it  has 
ever  retained.  Some  authorities  hold  that  he  was 
the  first  discoverer  of  that  country,  discrediting  all 
others  laying  claim  to  that  distinction. 

He  was  received  with  great  kindness  by  the  In- 
dians, and  spent  several  months  cruising  around  the 
coast,  in  search  of  the  "  Fountain  of  Youth,"  which 
he  believed  existed  somewhere  in  the  New  World, 
and  in  whose  wonderful  waters  he  hoped  to  bathe 
and  become  young  forever.  In  return  for  their 
kindness  he,  on  sailing  for  home,  forcibly  captured 
and  carried  away  several  native  men  and  women. 

The  next  year  he  returned  at  the  head  of  an  ex- 
pedition for  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  Indians  of 
Florida  to  the  status  of  vassals,  as  he  had  those  of 
Porto  Rico.  In  this,  however,  he  was  unsuccessful, 
and  not  until  1521  did  he  again  make  his  appearance, 
and  this  time  he  brought  a  much  larger  force.  But 
he  was  met  with  determined  hostility,  the  Indians 
gathering  their  forces  and  fighting  with  such  tact  and 
bravery  that  he  could  not  even  land.  In  one  of  the 
attempts  to  do  so,  he  received  a  wound,  which  re- 


And  Her  People.  185 

suited  in  his  death  a  few  days  afterwards,  and  thus 
his  scheme  to  subjugate  the  Indians  of  Florida  came 
to  an  inglorious  end. 

In  1520,  one  Lucas  Vasques  de  Ayllon,  a  Spanish 
officer  of  some  distinction,  landed  on  the  Florida 
coast,  and  was  received  with  great  kindness  by  the 
Indians.  He  made  feasts,  gave  the  Indians  gifts,  and 
made  every  profession  of  friendship.  By  these  means 
he  enticed  one  hundred  and  thirty  of  the  natives  on 
board  his  vessel,  locked  them  under  hatches,  and 
sailed  for  Spain,  intending  to  reap  a  large  profit  by 
selling  them  as  slaves.  But  his  inhuman  project 
ended  in  disaster.  Two  of  the  vessels  floundered  at 
sea  and  went  down  with  all  on  board.  The  other 
arrived  in  Spain,  but  he  received  no  profit  from  the 
sale  of  the  Indians,  because  they  nearly  all  died  of 
grief.  Exasperated  at  his  lack  of  success  he  deter- 
mined to  try  again.  It  was  not  until  1524,  however, 
that  he  succeeded  in  procuring  three  vessels.  These 
he  loaded  with  soldiers,  intending  this  time  to  do 
away  with  all  artifice  and  carry  out  his  project  by 
force  of  arms.  Arriving  on  the  coast,  he  landed,  and 
was  again  received  with  great  kindness  and  hospital- 
ity by  the  Indians.  The  Indians  affected  great 
cordiality  and  pleasure  at  his  return.  They  had 
taken  from  him  a  lesson  in  "  civilized  "  diplomacy, 
and  they  had  learned  it  well.  They  were  so  friendly 
as  to  completely  disarm  De  Ayllon  of  suspicion,  and 
he  congratulated  himself  upon  the  ease  with  which 
he  was  going  to  accomplish  his  purpose.  While  en- 
joying this  feeling  of  security,  and  laying  his  plans 


1 86  Wah-kee-nah 


for  future  action,  he  sent  a  party  of  two  hundred 
soldiers  some  distance  back  into  the  country  for 
the  purpose  of  spying  out  the  land.  The  Indians 
entertained  and  feasted  them  there  for  four  days,  and 
then  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  attacked  and  put 
them  to  death,  not  leaving  even  one  to  tell  the  tale. 
They  then  made  a  vigorous  assault  upon  the  Span- 
iards at  the  coast,  killing  the  greater  part  of  them. 
The  few  who  were  able  to  reach  the  ships  quickly 
made  sail  and  left  the  coast.  De  Ayllon  was  num- 
bered among  the  slain. 

The  Indians  had  well  learned  the  lesson  of  dupli- 
city and  treachery  he  had  taught  them.  They  had 
visited  upon  him  terrible  retribution,  and  glutted 
their  vengeance  for  the  loss  of  the  one  hundred  and 
thirty  of  their  nation,  who  had  been  stolen  by  him 
upon  his  first  voyage,  and  whose  death  he  had  ruth- 
lessly caused. 

It  seems,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained  from  the 
traditions  of  the  Indians,  that  during  the  century 
just  preceding  the  coming  of  the  whites,  there  were 
many  powerful  tribes  inhabiting  the  territory  which 
I  have  called  the  third  grand  division.  I  shall  only 
mention  such,  however,  as  possessed  some  peculiarity, 
or  among  whom  has  occurred  some  incident  worthy 
of  special  notice.  The  Iroquois  had  overrun  some 
of  the  territory  lying  between  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and 
the  Mississippi  River,  below  the  thirty-third  parallel, 
and  held  some  of  the  tribes  living  there  under  tribute ; 
but,  in  the  main,  the  tribes  inhabiting  this  vast  region 
were  independent  and  strong.  They  were  not  so 


A  nd  Her  People.  \  8  7 

warlike  or  brave  as  their  northern  neighbors.  Climate 
had  much  to  do  with  this.  The  bravest  and  most 
warlike  tribes  were  located  where  the  weather  was 
neither  very  hot  nor  very  cold — either  extremes 
seemed  to  enervate  and  weaken  the  race.  Had 
the  Indians  inhabiting  this  section  of  the  country 
been  like  the  Iroquois,  the  Shawnees,  the  Sioux,  or 
other  tribes  in  their  division,  the  Spaniard  Narvaez 
could  not  have  marched  through  their  country  as  he 
did  in  1528,  with  only  three  hundred  men  and  eighty 
horses.  At  first  he  was  kindly  received,  but  his  con- 
duct and  that  of  his  men  so  enraged  the  Indians 
that  they  soon  became  his  enemies.  They  did  not 
annihilate  his  force,  however,  (as  the  northern  Indians 
would  certainly  have  done)  although  they  had  from 
the  fourteenth  of  April,  to  the  twenty-second  of 
September  in  which  to  accomplish  it.  The  Spaniards 
finally  became  discouraged  and  left  the  country  in 
some  boats  of  their  own  construction,  and  all  perished 
except  five — Cabeca  de  Vaca  and  four  others — Nar- 
vaez being  among  those  who  succumbed  to  the 
vicissitudes  of  the  voyage. 

It  was  during  this  expedition  of  Narvaez  that 
there  occurred  another  instance  of  a  woman's  success- 
ful plea  for  mercy  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  Poca- 
hontas.  The  Indians  captured  Juan  Ortiz,  a  young 
man  only  eighteen  years  old.  The  chief  ordered  him 
to  be  killed,  as  he  was  terribly  enraged  against  the 
white  men  for  the  injuries  his  mother  had  received 
at  their  hands.  While  the  preparations  were  in 
progress  for  putting  Ortiz  to  death,  the  daughter  of 


1 88  Wah-kee-nah 


this  chief,  who  was  about  the  same  age  as  the  pris- 
oner, threw  herself  at  her  father's  feet  and  pleaded 
so  earnestly  for  the  captive's  life  that  the  old  chief 
reluctantly  consented  to  spare  it.  Some  months  after 
this  it  happened  that  his  life  was  again  in  jeopardy, 
and  his  girl  deliverer  again  interposed,  warned  him 
of  his  peril,  and  advised  him  to  flee  to  Mucoso,  a 
neighboring  chief  of  the  same  tribe,  and  in  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  took  him  some  distance  on  his  way, 
placed  him  in  the  right  path,  and,  giving  him  a  true 
woman's  blessing,  with  kind  wishes  for  his  welfare, 
bade  him  waste  no  time.  He  reached  Mucoso  in 
safety,  and  was  protected  by  him.  The  maiden  was 
affianced  to  this  Chief  Mucoso,  which  accounts  for 
the  white  prisoner's  being  so  well  received. 

The  next  white  man  to  come  into  this  territory  was 
De  Soto,who  landed  upon  the  western  coast  of  Florida 
on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  May,  1539,  w^tn  about  one 
thousand  men  and  three  hundred  horses.  From  some 
captured  women  De  Soto  learned  that  a  white  man 
was  a  prisoner  not  far  away,  and,  guided  by  them,  a 
party  of  horse  started  in  search  of  him.  They  met 
him  making  his  way  to  their  camp.  We  can  only 
imagine  his  feelings  upon  thus  meeting  a  party  of  his 
own  countrymen,  after  having  been  a  prisoner  among 
the  Indians  for  twelve  years,  with  scarcely  a  ray  of 
hope  of  ever  again  reaching  his  native  land. 

De  Soto  remained  in  the  country  for  three  years, 
going  up  and  down  through  it  in  search  of  gold, 
which  he  and  his  followers  believed  to  exist  some- 
where in  that  section  in  great  quantity,  and  as  they 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 89 

could  not  get  the  Indians  to  tell  them  where  it  was, 
(except  a  little  in  the  mountains  of  what  is  now  the 
State  of  Georgia)  they  sought  for  it  unremittingly 
until,  exhausted  with  the  fruitless  effort,  they  were 
forced  to  abandon  the  search. 

During  these  three  years  De  Soto  treated  the  In- 
dians with  the  utmost  brutality,  supporting  his  thou- 
sand men  and  three  hundred  horses  by  robbing  the 
corn  and  vegetable  fields  during  the  summer  and  fall, 
and  in  the  winter  he  would  make  raids  and  seize  all 
the  grain  and  vegetables  that  the  Indians  had  laid 
up  for  their  own  use.  Many  Indians  starved  to  death, 
because  every  particle  of  food  they  had  secured  for 
winter  use  was  taken  by  De  Soto's  soldiers  and  car- 
ried away  to  their  camp,  not  leaving  even  a  vestige 
for  the  Indians,  whom  they  knew  could  not  exist 
without  it.  De  Soto  also  captured  a  large  number 
of  Indians  and  compelled  them  to  carry  all  the  bag- 
gage of  his  army.  If  any  one  of  them  refused  to 
carry  his  load,  a  chain  was  put  around  his  neck  and 
he  was  dragged,  either  by  four  or  five  men  or  by  a 
horse,  until  he  was  dead,  or  would  consent  to  get  up 
and  have  the  load  lashed  upon  his  back. 

De  Bry,  who  wrote  an  account  of  De  Soto's  jour- 
neyings,  says  that  at  one  time  they  took  many  women, 
and  that  the  captain  selected  two  or  three  of  the 
handsomest  for  the  commander,  and  apportioned 
the  others  to  himself  and  the  rest  that  went  with 
him.  He  also  relates  that  on  another  occasion  the 
Spaniards  found  two  Indian  men  and  one  Indian 
woman  gathering  beans,  and  that  although  both  the 


1 90  Wah-kee-nah 


men  might  have  escaped,  one  of  them,  the  husband 
of  the  woman,  would  not  leave  her,  but  fought  most 
bravely  and  to  the  death  to  protect  her. 

In  the  course  of  his  wanderings,  De  Soto  came  to 
the  country  of  a  woman  chief,  who  is  described  as 
young,  beautiful,  and  amiable.  Upon  De  Soto's  ap- 
proach, he  was  met  by  an  ambassadress,  a  sister  of 
her  majesty,  who  delivered  a  speech  of  welcome.  In 
a  little  while  the  queen  came  out,  borne  upon  a  chair 
carried  by  her  courtiers,  who  brought  her  to  a  river, 
upon  the  opposite  bank  of  which  De  Soto  was  en- 
camped. Here  she  entered  a  large  canoe,  and,  ac- 
companied by  numerous  other  canoes  containing  her 
principal  men,  was  taken  to  De  Soto's  camp.  On 
arriving,  she  landed  and  presented  De  Soto  with  rich 
presents  of  skins,  and  also  a  beautiful  string  of  pearls 
which  she  took  from  her  own  neck ;  after  which  she 
cordially  invited  him  to  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  her 
country.  He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  was  hand- 
somely entertained  for  some  time.  On  his  departure, 
he  repaid  her  kindness  by  robbing  the  graves  of  the 
dead  of  all  the  pearls  that  had  been  buried  with  them, 
and  making  the  queen  herself  a  prisoner  and  holding 
her  as  a  hostage  for  the  good  behavior  of  all  the  In- 
dians. After  remaining  in  captivity  for  several  days, 
and  being  taken  a  long  distance  from  her  own  coun- 
try, she  one  day  out-witted  her  guards  and  escaped. 
It  is  said  that  one  of  the  Spaniards  assisted  her  in 
this,  and  went  with  her  to  her  own  country. 

After  a  battle,  in  which  the  Indians  had  shown 
much  courage  and  which  had  cost  the  lives  of  some 


A  nd  Her  People.  \  9 1 

of  his  men,  De  Soto  took  all  the  chiefs  he  had  cap- 
tured, and  with  an  axe  severed  both  hands  from  their 
arms  at  the  wrists.  The  surgeons  tied  up  the  arteries, 
so  as  not  to  let  the  poor  sufferers  have  the  relief  of 
bleeding  to  death,  and  then  allowed  them  to  return 
to  their  families  handless  and  helpless.  At  another 
time  he  had  one  hundred  prisoners  tied  to  trees  and 
shot.  At  still  another  time  he  captured  three  In- 
dians, and,  because  they  did  not  tell  him  where  he 
could  find  gold  in  the  fabulous  quantities  he  ex- 
pected, he  caused  one  to  be  tied  to  a  stake,  and,  in 
in  the  presence  of  all,  slowly  burned  to  a  crisp,  in  the 
hope  of  thus  extorting  the  desired  information  from 
him  or  from  the  others. 

And  who  was  it  that  committed  all  these  atrocities 
upon  a  simple  people  whom  they  found  originally 
not  only  inoffensive  but  hospitable  and  kind  ?  It 
was  men  who  called  themselves  Christians — men 
who,  as  their  first  act  upon  landing  on  these  shores, 
raised  and  planted  the  holy  cross,  a  symbol  of  the 
blessed  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  religion  of  love, 
mercy,  and  justice.  Men  who  had  with  them  twelve 
priests,who,  every  morning  and  every  evening,  erected 
an  altar  around  which  De  Soto  and  all  his  followers 
bent  the  knee  to  Him  who  taught,, "  Do  ye  unto  others 
as  ye  would  they  should  do  unto  you  "  ! 

When  we  see  men  like  these,  professing  to  be 
civilized  and  even  Christianized,  committing  such 
cruel  atrocities,  how  can  we  blame  the  poor  unedu- 
cated Indian  for  the  cruelties  practised  by  him,  when 
he  had  never  had  the  advantages  of  civilization  or 


1 9  2  Wah-kee-nah 


even  heard  of  the  sweet,  justice-loving  religion  of 
our  Saviour  ? 

De  Soto  did  not  live  to  return  to  his  native  land. 
He  was  taken  sick  with  a  fever  on  the  banks  of  the 
great  Mississippi  River,  and  died  on  the  twenty-first 
day  of  May,  1 542,  at  the  early  age  of  forty-two  years. 
Had  he  lived  until  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  the  month, 
he  would  have  been  in  this  country  just  three  years 
His  followers,  fearing  the  Indians  would  desecrate 
his  body  in  retaliation  for  the  many  wrongs  he  had 
done  them,  should  they  bury  him  on  land,  wrapped 
him  in  his  mantle,  and,  by  the  dim  light  of  the  stars, 
conveyed  him  to  the  middle  of  the  river,  and  secretly 
buried  him  beneath  its  waters. 

After  the  death  of  their  leader,  the  only  desire  of 
the  followers  of  De  Soto  was  to  return  to  their  na- 
tive country.  At  first  they  tried  to  reach  Mexico 
by  following  the  course  taken  by  Cabeca  de  Vaca, 
but  becoming  discouraged,  they  returned  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  built  seven  large  boats,  forging  the  iron 
bolts,  nails,  etc.,  which  were  required  in  building 
them,  from  "  the  chains  they  had  for  leading  the 
Indians."  They  then  floated  down  the  Mississippi 
River  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  coasting  along  to 
the  westward,  finally  reached  a  Spanish  settlement 
called  Panuco.  There  were  only  three  hundred  and 
eleven  survivors  of  the  thousand  men  who  three 
years  before  had  landed  upon  that  coast.  All  their 
horses  that  had  not  died  from  exhaustion  had  been 
killed  for  food,  and  the  expedition  left  the  country 
without  having  found  the  gold  they  sought,  broken 
and  dispirited,  but  leaving  behind  them  a  track  of 


And  Her  People.  1 9 3 

bloodshed,  heartless  cruelty,  misery,  and  death. 
Had  the  Indians  an  historian  to  record  the  suf- 
ferings inflicted  upon  them  by  these  civilized  sav- 
ages, the  record  would  indeed  be  a  most  dreadful 
one. 

The  Spaniards  made  some  further  attempts  to  ex- 
plore Florida,  notable  among  which  was  that  of  De 
Luna,  in  1559.  His  .force  was  composed  of  fifteen 
hundred  soldiers,  and  a  large  number  of  friars  and 
preachers  ;  but  his  expedition,  like  all  the  others  of 
his  countrymen,  ended  in  failure. 

In  1562,  when  Charles  IX.  was  King  of  France, 
Admiral  de  Chastellon  was  the  head  of  the  Protest- 
ant party,  and  conceived  the  idea  of  founding  an 
empire  in  the  new  world,  which  might  afford  a  refuge 
for  the  Huguenots  should  it  ever  become  expedient 
for  them  to  leave  France.  He  fitte'd  out  an  expedi- 
tion consisting  of  two  vessels,  and  placed  it  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Jean  Ribaut,  an  officer  of 
much  experience.  Ribaut  landed  upon  the  coast  of 
Florida,  near  what  is  now  the  village  of  St.  Augus- 
tine, but  almost  immediately  sailed  to  the  northward, 
and  entered  the  River  St,  John,  which  he  named  the 
"  River  May,"  that  being  the  month  in  which  he  dis- 
covered it.  Here  he  erected  a  monument,  upon 
which  he  engraved  the  arms  of  France.  He  then 
continued  to  sail  northward  until  he  arrived  at  the 
harbor  which  is  now  called  Port  Royal.  Here  he 
erected  a  fort,  in  which  he  placed  twenty-five  men 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Albert,  and  sup- 
plying him  with  an  abundance  of  ammunition  and 
provisions,  returned  to  France. 


1 94  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

The  French  in  their  dealings  with  the  Indians 
adopted  a  policy  which  differed  very  widely  from 
that  of  the  Spaniards.  They  were  cordially  received, 
and  returned  the  Indians'  hospitality  with  kindness. 
Fairbanks  says  :  "  The  French  seem  to  have  a  pecu- 
liar faculty  of  ingratiating  themselves,  and  had  most 
remarkable  success  in  conciliating  and  securing  the 
friendship  of  the  Indians.  The  secret  consists  most 
probably  in  the  peculiarly  adaptable  and  versatile 
talent  of  the  French,  enabling  them  to  accommodate 
themselves  with  ease  to  any  customs  or  usages,  and 
putting  them  at  once  at  home  wherever  they  may 
happen  to  be  placed.  Another  reason  is,  that  they 
are  skilled  in  the  art  of  pantomime,  the  only  lan- 
guage at  all  available  upon  first  meeting  with  a  tribe 
whose  language  is  unknown.  The  Frenchman,  with 
his  varying  gestures,  his  expressive  shrug,  his  flexible 
features,  his  animated  manner  of  expressing  himself, 
would  soon  be  on  a  good  footing,  and  smoking  a 
pipe  with  the  chief,  where  the  stately  Spaniard 
would  be  expressing  his  pleasure  in  pure  Castilian, 
and  making  gestures  at  the  end  of  his  lance  ;  or  the 
Englishman,  with  his  phlegmatic  temperament,  would 
be  attempting  a  direct  negotiation." 

Whether  this  explanation  be  correct  or  not,  it  is  a 
fact  that  the  French  had  far  less  trouble  than  other 
nationalities  with  the  Indians.  But  the  French  at- 
tempts to  settle  in  Florida  met  with  dire  disaster. 
The  inhumanly  brutal  Spanish  leader,  Mendez,  after 
inducing  the  French  to  surrender  under  promise  of 
protection,  tied  their  hands  behind  them,  and  cruelly 
butchered  them  all. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

TH  E  Indians  of  Florida  suffered  many  vicissitudes, 
as  that  country  became  a  battle-ground  between 
the  French  and  Spaniards  in  the  earlier  years, 
and  afterwards  between  the  Spaniards,  British,  and 
Americans,  until  finally  it  fell  permanently  into  the 
hands  of  the  Americans.  The  Miccosukies  were 
the  most  powerful  tribe  of  Florida  Indians  in  the 
earlier  days,  and  the  Seminoles,  an  offspring  of  the 
Miccosukies,  in  the  later  time. 

William  Bartram,  a  celebrated  botanist  who  spent 
along  time  in  their  country,  thus  writes  of  the  Semi- 
noles in  1773  : 

"  They  possess  all  of  East  Florida,  and  a  large 
part  of  West  Florida,  countries  which,  divided  as 
they  are  by  nature  into  innumerable  islands,  hills, 
and  marshes,  marked  by  many  rivers,  lakes,  streams, 
and  vast  prairies,  offer  a  great  number  of  desirable 
localities  convenient  for  settlement.  This  country, 
so  irregular  in  its  form,  and  so  well  watered,  furnishes, 
besides,  so  great  a  quantity  of  the  means  of  sub- 
sistence for  wild  animals,  that  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
say  that  no  part  of  the  world  contains  so  much  game 
and  so  many  animals  suitable  for  the  support  of  man. 

195 


1 96  Wah-kee-nah 


Surrounded  with  this  great  abundance,  the  Semi- 
noles  are  contented  and  happy,  and  are  as  free  from 
care  as  the  birds.  They  present  a  picture  of  perfect 
happiness.  The  only  disquietudes  they  entertain, 
are  caused  by  the  continued  progress  of  the  white 
settlements." 

Although  this  was  written  in  1773,  it  would  proba- 
bly have  been  a  good  description  of  the  nation  in 
1 508,  when  Ponce  de  Leon  first  arrived  among  them  ; 
but  as  no  one  had  then  penetrated  their  country,  to 
tell  us  how  they  lived,  we  shall  never  know ;  yet  I 
think  we  have  a  right  to  conclude  that  they  must 
have  been  as  contented  and  happy  a  race  then,  as 
they  were  found  to  be  nearly  three  centuries  later. 
How  different  was  their  condition  after  the  war 
which  lasted  from  1832  to  1840. 

Oseola  was  the  leading  chief  of  the  Seminoles 
during  this  war  with  the  United  States.  The  white 
settlers  were  clamoring  for  their  lands,  and  the 
United  States  proposed  that  the  Seminoles  leave 
Florida  and  go  to  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi 
River. 

Oseola,  who  was  then  thirty-one  years  of  age,  op- 
posed the  measure  most  bitterly.  At  a  conference 
held  with  the  Indians  by  General  Thompson  of  the 
United  States  army,  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating 
a  treaty  by  the  terms  of  which  they  were  to  abandon 
their  lands  in  Florida  and  accept  lands  in  the  West 
in  return,  Oseola  became  angry,  and  in  the  greatest 
excitement  drew  his  scalping-knife  and  driving  it  with 
great  force  into  the  table  upon  which  the  treaty  lay, 


A  nd  Her  People.  197 

said  :  "  The  only  treaty  I  will  ever  sign,  obliging  us 
to  leave  our  lands,  is  with  this." 

He  proved  a  most  powerful  enemy,  but  was  cap- 
tured toward  the  close  of  the  war  by  the  bad  faith  of 
General  Jesup,  who  violated  the  usages  of  civiliza- 
tion by  seizing  him  when  he  came  in  under  a  flag  of 
truce  to  negotiate  a  settlement  of  the  difficulties. 
General  Jesup  excused  himself  by  claiming  that 
Oseola  was  an  escaped  prisoner,  he  once  before  hav- 
ing been  in  the  hands  of  the  whites  and  having  made 
his  escape.  He  was  confined  in  Fort  Moultrie  at 
Charlestown,  South  Carolina,  where  he  soon  became 
dejected  and  low  spirited,  and  gradually  pined  away, 
even  unto  death. 

Much  has  been  written  of  this  renowned  chief  of 
the  Seminoles.  He  was  possessed  of  noble  traits  of 
character.  His  manner  was  dignified  and  courteous, 
and  upon  the  field  he  proved  himself  a  brave  and 
gallant  leader.  He  always  instructed  his  warriors  to 
spare  women  and  children.  He  said,  "  It  is  not  upon 
women  and  children  that  we  make  war  and  draw  the 
scalping-knife,  it  is  upon  men,  and  let  us  act  like 
men."  Unfortunately  for  the  whites  his  instructions 
were  not  always  obeyed  by  his  followers. 

He  died  while  yet  a  prisoner  at  Fort  Moultrie,  and 
we  are  told  by  eye-witnesses  that  a  short  time  before 
the  end  came  he  seemed  to  realize  that  he  was 
dying,  and  although  unable  to  speak,  he  made  known 
by  signs  that  he  wished  his  wife  (who  had  been  per- 
mitted to  remain  with  him)  to  dress  him  in  the 
clothes  he  always  wore  at  war  councils,  to  gird  on 


Wah-kee-nah 


his  war-belt  and  lay  his  bullet-pouch,  powder-horn, 
and  scalping-knife  beside  him.  He  also  asked  for 
his  red  paint  and  looking-glass,  which  she  held  before 
him  while  he  deliberately  painted  one  half  of  his 
face,  neck,  throat,  wrists,  backs  of  his  hands,  and  the 
handle  of  his  knife,  a  custom  practised  by  his  tribe 
when  the  irrevocable  oath  of  war  and  destruction  is 
taken.  He  then  placed  his  knife  in  its  sheath  under 
his  war-belt,  and  carefully  arranged  his  turban  upon 
his  head,  with  the  three  feathers  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  wearing  in  it.  Being  thus  prepared,  he  rested 
for  a  few  moments  to  recover  strength,  and  then  in- 
dicated by  signs  that  he  wished  to  see  the  other 
chiefs  who  were  prisoners  with  him,  and  also  the 
officers  of  the  fort  and  his  two  little  children.  Just 
before  they  arrived,  he  had  his  wife  bolster  him  up 
in  a  sitting  posture,  and  when  they  came  in,  he,  with 
a  pleasant  smile,  extended  his  hand  to  each  of  the 
officers  and  chiefs,  and  shook  hands  with  all  in  silence. 
Then  turning  to  his  wife  and  little  children  he  bade 
them  a  most  affectionate  farewell ;  after  which  he 
signalled  to  be  laid  down  upon  his  bed,  which  was 
done.  He  then  slowly  drew  his  scalping-knife  from 
his  war-belt,  and  holding  it  firmly  in  his  right  hand, 
quietly  folded  his  hands  upon  his  breast,  and,  with- 
out a  struggle  or  a  groan,  died  with  a  smile  upon  his 
face. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  war  originated  in 
the  attempt  of  the  whites  to  compel  the  Seminoles 
to  vacate  their  country  and  migrate  to  lands  west  of 
the  Mississippi  River ;  and  the  policy  of  the  United 


A  nd  Her  People.  1 99 

States  all  through  this  long  war  was  to  send  all  the 
prisoners  to  those  lands.  In  this  way  the  number 
of  the  Indians  was  reduced  to  the  merest  remnant. 
These  hid  in  the  swamps,  and  from  their  hiding- 
places  would  sally  forth  occasionally  and  do  much 
damage. 

Many  murders  and  not  a  few  hair-breadth  escapes 
grew  out  of  these  raids  of  the  Indians.  One  most 
exciting  adventure  happened  to  the  family  of  Dr. 
Henry  Perrine,  a  celebrated  botanist  in  the  employ 
of  the  United  States  government,  who  was  living  on 
an  island  called  Indian  Keys,  lying  near  the  coast  of 
Florida.  He  was  under  the  impression  that  the  In- 
dians would  not  disturb  the  people  on  that  island, 
and  therefore  made  no  preparations  for  leaving.  I 
have  the  narrative  from  the  Doctor's  son,  Mr.  Henry 
E.  Perrine  (Mrs.  Grover  Cleveland's  step-father), 
who  is  now  living  in  the  city  of  Buffalo,  New  York. 
His  father's  family  had  lived  upon  the  island  but  two 
years,  and  at  the  time  of  the  attack  consisted  of  his 
father  and  mother,  two  sisters  and  himself.  He  was 
thirteen  years  old,  and  vividly  remembers  everything 
that  occurred. 

About  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August 
seventh,  1840,  the  family  were  awakened  by  the 
sound  of  muskets,  and  the  yells  of  Indians.  Dr. 
Perrine's  house  stood  upon  the  beach,  and  what  was 
usually  the  cellar  in  other  houses,  was  an  excavation 
into  which  the  sea  water  could  flow  through  an  open- 
ing in  the  wall  leading  directly  under  the  wharf.  This 
wharf  was  covered  with  planks,  but  the  sides  were 


2OO  Wah-kee-nah 


walled  with  stone  for  some  distance  from  the  house, 
and  the  part  leading  out  into  the  deep  water,  had 
sticks  driven  around  the  sides  and  end.  The  sticks 
were  also  placed  across  under  the  wharf  in  front  of 
the  walled  portion,  thus  separating  the  space  under 
the  wharf  into  two  parts.  The  front  part  was  used 
as  a  turtle  corral. 

When  the  yells  of  the  Indians  became  louder,  and 
it  was  evident  that  they  were  approaching  the  house, 
Dr.  Perrine  hurried  his  family  down  through  a  trap- 
door into  the  water,  saying,  "  I  will  go  back  and  see 
what  I  can  do,"  probably  intending  to  get  his  Colt's 
rifle,  which  was  good  for  sixteen  shots.  His  son 
then  remembered  that  on  his  last  hunt  he  had  used 
every  one  of  the  cartridges,  and  called  to  his  father, 
telling  him  so  ;  but  he  answered,  "  I  know  it,  but  I 
will  see  what  I  can  do."  His  father  then  put  the 
trap-door  over  the  family  and  drew  a  large  chest 
over  it.  The  family  waded  through  the  water  to  the 
hole  in  the  wall  leading  under  the  wharf.  It  was 
high  tide,  and  there  was  only  a  foot  of  space  between 
the  surface  of  the  water  and  the  planks  above  their 
heads,  the  water  being  about  four  and  a  half  feet 
deep.  It  was  not  long  before  they  heard  the  In- 
dians leaping  upon  the  wharf  directly  over  their  heads, 
and  they  held  their  breath  for  fear  of  discovery.  He 
heard  his  father  talking  to  them,  after  which,  hearing 
nothing  more  for  awhile,  he  supposed  the  Indians 
had  gone  away.  Soon,  however,  the  loud  yelling 
commenced  again,  and  they  heard  the  Indians  bat- 
tering in  the  doors  ancl  windows.  Then  they  heard 


And  Her  People.  201 

a  voice  say  in  English,  "  They  are  all  hid,  but  the 
old  man  is  up-stairs."  This  proved  that  there  was  a 
renegade  white  man  with  them,  and  such  were 
known  always  to  be  much  more  savage  and  brutal 
than  the  Indians.  They  soon  heard  a  terrific  pound- 
ing on  the  door  leading  to  the  cupola,  and  after  a 
fearful  crash  came  most  vociferous  yells  and  shouts, 
which  proclaimed  to  their  listening  and  affrighted 
ears,  the  death  of  the  husband  and  father. 

For  a  long  time  after  this  they  could  hear  the  In- 
dians dragging  things  out  of  the  house  upon  the 
wharf,  and  loading  them  into  canoes.  At  one  time, 
one  of  the  Indians  raised  the  trap-door  of  the  turtle 
corral  and  looked  in,  but  the  partition  of  sticks  pre- 
vented his  seeing  the  frightened  and  trembling 
refugees,  who  were  in  the  other  part.  They  were  in 
breathless  suspense  while  he  was  looking,  fearing  their 
white  night-clothes  would  reveal  their  position.  Some 
hours  after  daylight,  the  smoke  came  rolling  in  under 
the  wharf  where  they  were,  and  they  began  to  hear 
the  crackling  sound  of  flames,  which  indicated  that 
the  house  was  on  fire.  The  tide  was  then  so  low 
that  there  was  only  a  few  inches  of  water  under  their 
end  of  the  wharf,  and  the  smoke  became  so  dense 
that  they  were  almost  suffocated.  They  held  their 
mouths  near  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  drew  their 
breath  through  their  wet  clothing.  The  wharf  also 
caught  fire,  and  they  could  see  the  little  tongues  of 
flame  eating  through  between  the  planks  over  their 
heads.  Seeing  that  they  must  be  burned  if  they 
remained  there,  young  Henry  made  a  desperate  at- 


202  Wah-kee-nah 


tempt  to  break  the  partition,  and  finally  succeeded 
in  getting  through  into  the  turtle  corral.  Looking 
through  the  crevices  between  the  piles  and  seeing 
that  all  was  quiet,  he  quickly  raised  the  trap-door, 
got  upon  the  wharf,  and  dropped  into  the  water.  It 
was  now  low  tide,  and  he  waded  around  the  point 
and  over  to  the  other  wharf,  not  far  away,  looking  for 
a  boat  which  he  knew  was  kept  there.  He  found  it 
already  half  filled  with  plunder  by  the  Indians,  who, 
he  afterwards  learned,  were  at  that  very  time  in  a 
store  not  two  hundred  feet  away,  occupied  in  gath- 
ering goods  to  put  into  this  very  boat.  On  looking 
up,  he  was  delighted  to  see  that  his  mother  and  sis- 
ters had  also  forced  their  way  through  the  partition, 
and  scrambled  out  of  the  trap-door.  It  was  now  a 
little  past  noon,  but  they  could  not  possibly  remain 
under  the  wharf  any  longer,  as  the  live  coals  were 
beginning  to  fall  on  them  from  the  burning  planks. 
They  had  plastered  marl  over  their  hair  and  shoul- 
ders, as  best  they  could,  to  keep  from  being  burned ; 
but  one  of  the  sisters  will  bear  upon  her  shoulders  to 
her  dying  day  the  scars  made  by  the  burning  coals. 
Henry  told  them  of  the  boat,  and  guided  them 
around  the  point,  wading  in  the  water  all  the  way, 
as  that  was  the  quickest  way  of  reaching  it.  His 
sister  Sarah,  who  had  been  so  ill  that  she  had  not 
left  her  bed  for  two  weeks,  now  became  exhausted 
and  said  she  could  go  no  farther,  and  begged  them 
to  leave  her  and  save  themselves.  But  that,  of  course, 
they  would  not  think  of  doing,  so  they  supported 
her  until  they  reached  the  boat ;  then  gently  laying 


And  Her  People.  203 

her  down  in  it,  his  mother,  his  other  sister,  and  him- 
self pulled  the  boat  off  the  shore.  In  it  they  found 
one  oar,  one  paddle,  and  two  poles,  and  with  these 
they  pushed,  pulled,  and  paddled  for  dear  life,  toward 
a  schooner  out  in  the  bay.  The  Indians  soon  dis- 
covered them,  gave  chase,  and  came  near  overtaking 
them  before  the  people  on  the  schooner  saw  them. 
As  soon  as  they  were  seen  from  the  schooner,  a  boat 
was  lowered,  and  the  men  pulled  toward  them  with 
powerful  strokes,  knowing  the  lives  of  the  refugees 
depended  upon  their  reaching  them  before  the  In- 
dians. As  the  pursuers  were  on  the  point  of  over- 
taking them,  the  men  in  the  boat  opened  fire  upon 
the  Indians,  which  caused  them  to  turn  and  flee  ;  and 
that  brave  little  thirteen-year-old  boy  placed  his 
mother  and  sisters  safely  on  the  vessel's  deck. 

This  is  one  of  the  incidents  that  show  how  young 
our  Republic  is,  for  that  heroic  boy  now  walks  the 
streets  of  the  city  of  Buffalo  every  day,  hale  and 
hearty,  and  is  far  from  being  an  old  man.  Mr.  Per- 
rine  says  that  when  he  thinks  of  it,  the  whole  scene 
comes  before  him  as  vividly  as  if  it  had  taken  place 
but  yesterday. 

This  attack  was  made,  as  before  stated,  in  1840, 
after  the  Indians  had  been  pursued  by  the  army  for 
eight  years  and  had  become  desperate  and  in  great 
need  of  almost  everything,  and,  as  there  was  a  fine 
store  on  this  island,  they  probably  made  the  attack 
more  for  plunder  than  for  murder.  The  house,  shop, 
and  negro  quarters  of  a  Mr.  Howe  were  not  burned, 
and  Mr.  Perrine  says  the  reason  for  that  was  uncer- 


2O4  Wah-kee-nah 


tain,  but  it  was  thought  to  be  because  before  the  war, 
when  the  Indians  were  in  the  habit  of  coming  to  the 
island  to  trade,  Mr.  Howe  lived  there  and  had  treated 
them  kindly  and  thus  won  their  friendship. 

Had  every  one  pursued  such  a  course  with  the  In- 
dians, how  different  would  have  been  the  history  of 
the  settlement  of  this  country  ! 

These  Indians  had  not  come  to  the  island  during 
the  war,  and  therefore  Dr.  Perrine  was  unknown  to 
them. 

The  United  States  government,  in  1841,  finally 
compromised  with  the  few  Seminoles  still  remaining 
in  Florida,  and  agreed  that  they  should  remain  there 
upon  a  small  reservation,  but  that  none  of  those  who 
had  been  transported  west  of  the  Mississippi  River 
should  be  allowed  to  return,  so  that  only  a  few  hun- 
dred now  occupy  the  reservation.  Yet  they  are  so 
proud  that  they  despise  the  whites,  and  will  have 
nothing  to  do  with  them  except  in  the  way  of  neces- 
sary barter  and  trade ;  they  will  not  allow  a  white 
person  to  live  on  their  reservation,  and  are  so  tena- 
cious of  their  blood  that,  should  one  of  their  nation 
intermarry  with  one  of  the  detested  white  race,  they 
would  kill  upon  sight  the  unworthy  Seminole  who 
had  thus  brought  disgrace  upon  them  all,  and  their 
laws  would  sanction  the  murder. 

Between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Rocky  or 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  lived  many  tribes.  Some 
of  them,  as  the  Konzas,  the  Pawnees,  and  some  others, 
had  the  singular  custom  of  cutting  all  the  hair  from 
the  heads  of  the  men,  with  the  exception  of  the  scalp- 


And  Her  People.  205 

lock.  In  the  early  days,  before  the  introduction  of 
knives,  they  burned  off  the  hair  with  hot  stones, 
always  leaving  a  patch  at  the  top  of  the  head  some 
three  inches  wide  and  four  inches  long.  The  hair 
upon  this  spot  they  would  tend  with  great  care, 
making  it  grow  to  the  greatest  possible  length.  They 
usually  wore  it  braided,  hanging  down  the  back,  and 
ornamented  with  paint  and  feathers.  It  was  a  dis- 
grace to  have  this  hair  cut  short,  for  it  indicated,  in 
their  estimation,  a  lack  of  courage  not  to  have  a  good 
long  scalp-lock  for  an  enemy  to  bear  off  as  a  trophy. 
With  some  of  the  tribes  this  custom  was  universal, 
in  others  it  was  only  occasional,  while  in  others  still 
it  did  not  exist  at  all. 

This  section  of  country  was  most  beautiful,  being 
divided  into  prairies  and  timber  land  in  convenient 
proportion;  and  in  1832,  when  Mr.  Catlin  passed 
through  it,  it  seemed  to  be  alive  with  buffaloes  and 
wild  horses,  bands  of  both  being  visible  every  day. 
There  is  no  animal  on  the  prairie  so  wild  and  sagacious 
as  the  horse,  and  none  more  difficult  to  capture.  His 
eye  is  so  keen  that  he  can  see  an  enemy  at  a  great 
distance,  and  when  once  started  he  does  not  stop  for 
several  miles.  Mr.  Catlin  made  many  attempts  to 
paint  pictures  of  these  horses  while  they  were  grazing 
or  playing.  He  never  succeeded  except  in  a  single 
instance,  and  that  was  when  he  crept  through  a 
ravine  for  two  miles,  with  the  wind  blowing  from  the 
horses  toward  him ;  and  then,  from  the  shelter  af- 
forded by  a  little  hedge  of  bushes,  which  effectually 
screened  him,  he  was  able  to  make  a  fine  sketch.  He 


2o6  \Vah-kee-nah 


says :  "  They  were  of  all  colors,  some  white  as  milk, 
some  jet  black,  others  sorrel,  and  bay,  and  cream- 
color,  while  some  were  pied,  having  a  variety  of 
colors  on  the  same  horse.  Their  manes  were  very 
profuse,  and  hanging  in  the  wildest  confusion  over 
their  necks  and  faces,  while  their  long  tails  swept  the 
ground.  I  do  not  know  of  a  prettier  sight  than  a  band 
of  wild  horses  at  play.  I  have  watched  them  through 
a  glass,  which  gave  me  a  fine  view,  and  sometimes 
joined  the  Indians  in  the  chase,  and  attempted  to 
lasso  them,  but  generally  with  very  poor  success 
personally,  but  the  chase  was  exciting,  and  seeing 
the  Indians  catch  and  tame  them,  interesting." 

I  have  had  some  of  the  same  experience,  with 
about  the  same  personal  success,  but  as  Mr.  Catlin 
says,  riding  with  the  Indians  while  chasing  and 
catching  them  is  exceedingly  exciting. 

The  Pawnees  were  a  large  tribe  who,  since  the  ad- 
vent of  the  whites,  have  devoted  themselves  more 
to  agriculture  than  any  other  tribe  in  this  section. 
As  early  as  1828,  they  had  large  fields  of  corn,  pump- 
kins, squashes,  and  beans,  and  with  a  great  abundance 
of  buffalo-meat  easily  obtainable  were  amply  supplied 
with  food. 

The  Kioways,  another  tribe  inhabiting  this  section, 
were  distinguished  from  the  others,  as  they  were  a 
much  finer-looking  race  of  men  and  women.  They 
were  tall  and  erect,  with  a  great  abundance  of  hair, 
so  long  in  many  cases  as  to  nearly  reach  the  ground. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  flattening  of  the  head, 
as  practised  by  the  Chinooks  heretofore  described, 


And  Her  People.  207 

prevailed  in  this  section  among  the  Choctaws  and 
Chickasaws,  and  not  among  the  adjoining  tribes. 
Here,  some  two  or  three  thousand  miles  from  the 
Chinooks,  with  not  a  tribe  between  them  practising 
the  singular  custom,  we  find  it  prevailing  in  two 
large  tribes  and  accomplished  in  the  same  way  and 
for  the  same  purpose  ;  and  another  fact  that  should 
be  mentioned  is,  that  there  is  not  the  slightest 
similarity  in  the  language  of  the  Choctaws  or  Chica- 
saws  to  that  of  the  Chinooks,  whence  the  theory, 
that  the  one  may  have  been  an  offshoot  of  the  other, 
is  out  of  the  question. 

The  Comanches,  a  large  and  powerful  tribe,  also 
inhabited  this  section  of  country.  They  lived  in 
large  villages  containing  as  many  as  six  or  eight 
hundred  lodges,  or  wigwams,  covering  from  three  to 
four  thousand  persons.  They  built  them  almost  en- 
tirely of  skins  drawn  over  poles  in  the  way  I  have 
described  in  connection  with  the  Sioux.  They  were 
very  much  like  the  Sioux,  and  were  adepts  in  tan- 
ning skins  and  making  them  soft.  They  were  also 
expert  horsemen.  They  did  most  of  their  fighting 
on  horseback,  throwing  themselves  upon  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  horse  while  at  full  run,  and  thus 
protecting  themselves  from  the  enemy's  arrows. 

They  were  offshoots  of  the  Shoshonees,  of  whom  I 
have  spoken  as  inhabiting  the  country  farther  to  the 
northward.  All  travellers  who  visited  them  in  their 
primitive  state  give  them  a  good  character.  Among 
such  I  would  cite  Rev.  Mr.  Parker,  Lewis  and 
Clark,  Captain  Bonneville,  and  Mr.  Catlin.  The  latter 


2o8  Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People. 

says :  "  I  allege  it  to  be  a  truth,  that  the  reason  we 
find  them  as  they  are  usually  described,  a  kind  and 
inoffensive  people,  is  that  they  have  not  as  yet  been 
abused — that  they  are  in  their  primitive  state,  as  the 
Great  Spirit  made  and  endowed  them,  with  good 
hearts,  and  kind  feelings,  unalloyed  and  untainted 
by  the  vices  of  the  money-making  world." 

This  was  in  1832,  and  without  doubt  he  spoke 
truly  in  relation  to  their  character ;  and  yet,  from 
reading  the  reports  of  the  wars  that  have  taken  place 
between  them  and  the  whites  since  the  white  man 
began  to  crave  and  settle  upon  their  lands,  driving 
the  Indians  from  them,  we  might  suppose  the  Co- 
manches  were  Devils  incarnate  ;  for  they  have  fought 
like  heroes  for  the  protection  of  their  homes  and 
firesides. 

Alas  for  them,  civilization  has  planted  her  iron 
heel  upon  them,  crushed  them  into  submission  to  its 
dictates,  and  crowded  them  into  the  narrow  limits  of 
a  few  reservations,  upon  which  to  eke  out  a  miserable 
existence,  dependent  upon  the  honesty  (?)  of  Con- 
tractors and  Indian  Agents. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

AT  a  time  preceding  most  of  the  events  herein 
narrated  that  transpired  upon  the   Atlantic 
coast  in  that  part  of  the  country  now  known 
as  the  United  States  of  America,  the  Spaniards  were 
engaged  in  making  voyages  of  discovery,  and  some 
expeditions  had  landed  on  the  coast  of  the  southern 
portion   of  North  America,  in  a  country  called  by 
some  of  the  natives  Anahuac,  and  by  others,  Maheco, 
which  latter  name  was  changed   into   Mexico,   the 
name  which  it  still  bears. 

In  1519,  when  Hernando  Cortes  first  visited  this 
country,  it  was  inhabited  by  various  tribes  of  In- 
dians, all  classed,  however,  as  Aztecs,  who  were  more 
advanced  in  civilization  than  any  other  Indians 
upon  the  continent  of  North  America.  All  but  one 
or  two  of  these  tribes  were  subjects  of  the  powerful 
monarch,  Montezuma. 

Cortes,  on  his  way  to  Mexico,  had  stopped  at  the 
river  Grijalva  in  Yucatan,  where  he  had  a  battle 
with  the  Indians,  conquered  them,  and  among  the 
presents  they  sent  him  were  twenty  women  slaves. 
Among  these  was  one  whose  name  will  be  handed 
down  to  future  generations,  as  long  as  the  story 
14  209 


2 1 0  Wah-kee-nah 


of  the  conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortes  is  told.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  caziques,  the  Aztec 
name  for  the  governor  of  a  province  or  state. 
Her  mother  had  married,  after  the  death  of  her 
first  husband,  another  cazique,  by  whom  she  had 
a  son. 

Influenced  by  the  wishes  of  her  second  husband, 
who  desired  to  have  for  his  son  the  property  and 
power  this  girl  would  inherit,  she  was  prevailed 
upon  to  allow  him  to  give  away  her  daughter  to 
some  one  belonging  to  another  tribe.  This  being 
done,  the  unnatural  mother  deceived  her  friends  and 
relatives  with  the  story  that  she  had  died. 

The  person  to  whom  she  had  been  given  sold  her 
to  the  Tobascans,  a  tribe  living  in  Yucatan.  Here 
she  lived  as  a  slave  for  many  years,  and  thus  hap- 
pened to  be  one  of  the  twenty  given  to  Cortes.  As 
she  was  finely  formed,  and  in  all  respects  a  handsome 
woman,  Cortes  immediately  took  her  to  himself,  and 
she  afterwards  proved  of  the  greatest  service  to  him 
as  an  interpreter.  He  had  her  baptised  and  named 
Marina,  and  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  had 
she  not  been  faithful  and  loyal  to  him  he  would 
never  have  been  able  to  conquer  the  Aztecs.  When 
Cortes  landed  at  the  Island  of  Cozumel,  he  found  a 
Spaniard  by  the  name  of  Aquilar,  who  had  been 
shipwrecked  eight  years  before,  and,  having  lived 
with  the  Indians  during  all  that  time,  had  acquired 
the  Tobascan  language. 

By  means  of  these  two  persons  Cortes  was  pro- 
vided with  a  perfect  means  of  communication  with 


And  Her  People.  2 1 1 

the  people  from  the  moment  he  landed  in  Mexico  ; 
for  he  could  speak  to  Aquilar  in  Spanish,  he  in 
Tobascan  to  Marina,  and  she  to  the  Aztecs  in  their 
own  language,  which  was  herv  native  tongue.  She 
proved  so  apt  a  scholar  that  in  a  remarkably  short 
time  she  had  so  far  mastered  the  Spanish  language, 
that  Aquilar's  services  were  dispensed  with. 

Cortes  arrived  in  Mexico  on  "  Holy  Thursday," 
1519,  and  met  with  a  friendly  reception  from  the 
Indians. 

In  a  few  days  he  was  waited  upon  by  Tuetile,  the 
general  in  command  of  the  troops  of  the  Emperor 
Montezuma,  accompanied  by  Pilpato,  the  governor 
of  the  province  in  which  he  had  landed.  They 
were  attended  by  a  large  retinue  of  officers,  and 
numerous  slaves.  Cortes  was  informed  of  their 
coming,  and  met  them  with  all  the  pomp  at  his 
command.  They  approached  him  with  great 
ceremony,  their  salutation  being  made  by  one  ad- 
vancing holding  and  swinging  a  golden  dish  rilled 
with  burning  incense,  and  at  the  same  time  placing 
upon  the  censer  small  straws  the  ends  of  which 
had  been  dipped  in  his  own  blood.  This  was  the 
customary  salutation  when  meeting  an  equal.  When 
meeting  a  superior,  the  right  hand  was  carried  to 
the  ground  and  then  to  the  head,  signifying,  "  My 
head  is  upon  the  ground  before  you."  Just  behind 
this  censer-bearer  came  the  general  and  governor, 
who,  through  Marina,  asked  Cortes  where  he  came 
from,  and  for  what  purpose  he  visited  their  coast  ? 
Cortes  replied  that  he  came  as  an  ambassador  from 


212  Wah'kee-nah 


Don  Carlos,  the  great  monarch  of  the  East,  and 
asked  to  see  their  sovereign. 

At  the  command  of  the  general,  thirty  Indians 
came  forward  loaded  with  provisions,  fine  cloth, 
beautiful  feathers  of  various  colors,  and  a  large  box 
containing  many  pieces  of  curiously  wrought  gold, 
and  laid  them  upon  palm  leaves  which  had  been 
spread  before  Cortes.  Then  the  general,  addressing 
Cortes,  said  :  "  I  pray  you  to  accept  these  small 
presents  from  two  slaves  of  King  Montezuma,  who 
have  had  orders  to  entertain  such  strangers  as  should 
come  upon  his  coast ;  but  you  must  immediately 
prosecute  your  voyage,  it  being  no  easy  matter  to 
speak  to  the  King  ;  and  I  am  doing  you  no  small  ser- 
vice in  thus  undeceiving  you,  before  experience  makes 
you  sensible  of  the  difficulty  of  your  pretensions." 

The  general  had  not  doubted  that  his  order,  that 
the  Spaniards  immediately  leave  the  country,  would 
be  obeyed  at  once,  and  was  greatly  alarmed  when 
Cortes  replied,  that  "  Kings  always  received  ambas- 
sadors, and  he  should  not  leave  the  country  until  he 
had  seen  his  King,  Montezuma." 

Tuetile  and  the  governor  were  so  surprised  at 
this  speech,  that  for  a  few  moments  they  remained 
silent ;  but  they  finally  informed  Cortes  that  they 
would  send  to  their  monarch  for  his  answer! 

Cortes,  to  impress  his  visitors  with  his  power  and 
importance,  marshalled  all  his  force,  men,  cannon, 
and  horses,  upon  the  beach,  placing  the  gayest 
caparisons  upon  the  horses,  firing  his  cannon,  and 
sending  the  balls  flying  through  the  limbs  of  the  trees 


A  nd  Her  People.  2 1 3 

upon  the  shore,  in  order  that  the  general  and  the 
governor  might  see  what  havoc  they  could  make. 

These  officers  had  artists  with  them  who  were  so 
skilled  in  painting  as  to  be  able  to  accurately  repre- 
sent upon  cotton  cloth  everything  they  saw.  They 
could  draw  and  paint  whatever  could  be  thus 
represented,  and  by  hieroglyphics,  signs,  and  figures 
describe  the  whole  scene  so  as  to  make  it  fully  in- 
telligible. It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  they 
had  books  written  in  this  way,  thus  preserving  and 
passing  down  to  future  generations  the  learning  and 
history  of  the  previous  age. 

When  Cortes  saw  what  these  painters  were  doing, 
he  made  every  display  possible,  and  they  accurately 
represented  it  upon  their  canvas,  with  pictures,  hiero- 
glyphics, signs,  and  figures. 

This  proves  conclusively  that  the  Indians  living  in 
Mexico  had  advanced  so  far  in  civilization  as  to  have 
an  intelligent  system  of  chirography.  That  the 
Spaniards  did  not  understand  it,  and  could  not  read 
it,  proves  nothing  against  that  fact.  Had  their 
descriptions  been  made  in  the  characters  of  our 
present  system  of  stenography,  the  Spaniards  would 
have  thought  it  a  mere  conglomeration  of  unintel- 
ligible hieroglyphics,  although  it  is  as  accurate  and 
intelligible  as  any  other  system  of  writing. 

After  this  display  of  his  resources,  Cortes  gave  a 
banquet  to  the  Indian  officers,  and  during  the  con- 
versation ordered  one  of  the  pieces  of  gold  that  was 
among  the  presents  to  be  brought  to  him,  and, 
showing  it  to  the  general,  asked  if  his  King  had 


2 1 4  Wah-kee-nah 


much  of  that  metal.  Receiving  an  affirmative  an- 
swer, he  said,  "  Let  him  send  it  to  me,  for  I  and  my 
companions  have  a  complaint,  a  disease  of  the  heart, 
which  this  metal  will  cure."  The  Indians  have 
found  to  their  sorrow  that  this  "  complaint  "  was  not 
confined  to  Cortes  and  his  companions,  but  is  quite 
universal  among  white  men. 

On  the  departure  of  the  officers,  Cortes  sent  some 
presents  to  their  King.  They  returned  in  seven 
days  with  one  hundred  slaves  loaded  with  presents, 
which,  after  the  proper  ceremony  of  salutation,  were 
placed  upon  palm  leaves  before  Cortes,  as  upon  the 
former  occasion.  "  There  were  various  sorts  of  cot- 
ton robes,  well  wove,  and  so  fine  that  they  could  not 
be  known  from  silk,  but  for  the  feelings  ;  a  quantity 
of  plumes  and  other  curiosities  made  of  feathers, 
whose  beautiful  and  natural  variety  of  colors  the 
Indian  artists  knew  how  to  mix  and  dispose  of  with 
so  much  skill  that,  without  making  use  of  artificial 
colors  or  of  the  pencil,  they  could  draw  pictures,  and 
would  undertake  to  imitate  nature." 

"  They  next  produced  a  great  number  of  arms, 
bows  and  arrows,  and  targets  made  of  extraordinary 
woods ;  also  two  very  large  plates  of  a  circular  form, 
the  one  of  gold,  which  by  its  embossing  represented 
the  sun  ;  the  other  of  silver,  representing  the  moon  ; 
and  lastly  a  considerable  quantity  of  jewels,  pieces 
of  gold,  and  precious  stones ;  collars  of  gold,  rings, 
pendants,  and  other  ornaments  of  great  weight,  in 
the  shape  of  birds  and  beasts,  so  curiously  wrought 
that,  notwithstanding  the  great  value  of  the  metal, 
the  workmanship  seemed  to  exceed  it." 


A  nd  Her  People.  2 1 5 

When  these  presents  had  been  laid  upon  the  palm 
leaves,  the  general,  accompanied  by  the  governor 
and  some  other  officers,  advanced,  and  turning  to 
Cortes  said :  "  The  great  Emperor  Montezuma  has 
sent  you  these  things  in  return  for  your  presents, 
and  to  show  how  much  he  values  your  King's  friend- 
ship ;  but  it  is  not  convenient,  nor  is  it  possible  at  this 
time,  according  to  the  present  state  of  affairs,  to 
grant  the  permission  you  ask  of  passing  forward  to 
his  Court." 

When  he  had  finished  speaking,  Cortes  replied : 

"  The  principal  motive  my  King  has  in  offering  his 
friendship  to  Montezuma  is  the  obligation  Christian 
princes  are  under  to  oppose  the  errors  of  idolatry, 
and  the  desire  he  has  to  instruct  the  Mexican  King 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  under  no  circum- 
stances shall  I  leave,  until  I  have  seen  the  country 
and  its  King." 

This  reply  angered  the  Indian  general,  and  turn- 
ing unceremoniously  and  sharply  toward  Cortes, 
said,  "  Hitherto  the  King  has  treated  you  courte- 
ously and  as  a  guest,  but  if  you  continue  obstinate, 
it  will  be  your  own  fault  if  you  find  yourself  treated 
as  an  enemy/* 

He  exhibited  great  anger,  and  as  soon  as  he  had 
finished  speaking  abruptly  turned  his  back  upon 
Cortes  and  haughtily  walked  away,  followed  by  the 
governor  and  all  his  attendants. 

Cortes  did  not  like  this  unpleasant  termination  of 
the  interview,  and  immediately  prepared  himself  for 
defence.  The  next  morning  he  was  surprised  to  find 
that  the  Indians,  who  had  been  encamped  around 


2 1 6  Wa  h-kee-na  h 


him  in  great  numbers  and  from  whom  he  had  pur- 
chased supplies,  had  disappeared ;  not  a  single  one 
was  to  be  found,  and  this  he  at  once  construed  as  an 
indication  of  trouble. 

It  is  evident  at  a  glance  that  the  Indians  with 
whom  we  are  now  dealing  were  far  more  advanced 
in  civilization  than  any  we  have  yet  spoken  of.  We 
find  them  versed  in  the  art  of  painting  and  mechanics, 
and  adepts  in  the  art  of  diplomacy.  We  find  them 
also  possessed  of  a  system  of  chirography  which 
enabled  them  to  write  books  and  to  pass  their  history 
down  from  generation  to  generation,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  people  inhabiting  Europe  had  done 
until  about  eighty-four  years  previous,  when  the  art 
of  printing  came  into  use. 

The  magnificent  presents  given  by  Montezuma 
dazzled  the  eyes  of  Cortes  and  his  followers,  and  had 
a  directly  opposite  effect  from  that  intended  and 
hoped  for  by  the  giver.  Instead  of  changing  his 
purpose,  Cortes  became  more  than  ever  desirous  to 
proceed  into  the  country.  The  presents  had  filled 
his  heart  and  that  of  his  companions  with  the  wild- 
est emotions,  and  excited  their  avarice  beyond  con- 
trol. There  was  not  enough  gold  yet  received  to 
heal  the  "  complaint  "  of  even  one  of  the  invaders, 
and  there  were  several  hundred  who  were  suffering 
from  the  malady. 

Shortly  after  the  messengers  of  Montezuma  left  him 
in  anger  to  report  to  their  sovereign,  Cortes  received 
a  message  from  the  cazique  of  Cempoala  (a  province 
on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  about  forty  miles  north  of 


And  Her  People.  2 1 7 

his  present  location),  offering  him  a  permanent  resi- 
dence in  his  province,  which  offer  he  accepted.  He 
afterwards  moved  to  that  province  and  founded  a 
town,  calling  it  Vera  Cruz,  a  name  it  still  bears. 

It  was  at  this  place  that  Cortes  discovered  a  con- 
spiracy forming  against  him  among  his  own  soldiers. 
He  put  two  of  the  ringleaders  to  death,  and  then 
resolved  to  burn  his  ships,  and  thus  make  brave  sol- 
diers of  his  men  by  destroying  any  hope  they  might 
entertain  of  returning  to  Spain ;  reasoning  that, 
having  no  means  of  escape,  they  must  fight  to  con- 
quer or  to  die.  After  taking  the  sails,  cordage,  etc., 
from  the  ships,  he  gave  the  order  to  apply  the  torch, 
and  the  last  vestige  of  hope  in  the  breasts  of  the 
disaffected  sank  to  the  bottom  of  the  Gulf. 

These  Indians,  although  far  in  advance  of  their 
northern  brethren  in  civilization,  were  worshippers  of 
idols,  and  had  upon  their  escutcheon  the  dark  stain 
of  sacrificing  human  beings  in  their  religious  cere- 
monies. This  was  very  repugnant  to  Cortes,  and  in 
a  few  days  he  sent  a  body  of  troops  and  hurled  the 
idols  from  the  temples.  This  greatly  incensed  the 
natives,  who  at  once  rushed  to  arms  to  avenge  the 
insult  to  their  gods.  Cortes  immediately  seized  the 
cazique  and  all  the  principal  chiefs,  and  declared 
that  they  should  be  put  to  death  if  any  harm  was 
done  the  Spaniards.  The  threat  had  the  desired 
effect,  and  the  natives  were  awed  into  submission. 

While  Cortes  was  at  Vera  Cruz,  the  collectors  of 
Montezuma  came  into  the  province  to  collect  the 
tribute.  Cortes  seized  them,  and  ordered  that  no 


2 1 8  Wah-kee-nah 


tribute  should  be  paid.  This  greatly  pleased  the 
Cempoalans,  and  made  them  his  fast  friends. 

The  reason  why  the  cazique  of  Cempoala  invited 
Cortes  to  his  province,  and  why  the  people  so  readily 
forgave  him  his  great  insult  to  their  gods,  is  found 
in  their  belief  in  a  prevailing  legend — a  legend  con- 
nected with  the  mythology  of  their  country,  and  im- 
plicitly believed  in  by  the  entire  nation,  both  rulers 
and  people.  The  people  believed  it  with  joy,  and 
the  rulers  with  fear;  but  like  the  great  majority  of 
Indians,  many  of  the  rulers  were  content  to  accept 
what  they  considered  the  inevitable,  and  to  submit 
to  it. 

Indians  as  a  class  are  fatalists,  and  yield  without 
a  struggle  to  what  they  believe  to  be  the  inevitable. 
The  Emperor  Montezuma  was  tainted  with  this  su- 
perstition as  much  as  any  of  his  subjects,  and  the 
Spaniards  owe  their  success  to  his  belief  and  the 
universal  belief  in  this  legend. 

The  legend  runs  as  follows  : 

In  the  long  ago,  Quetzalcoatl  (God  of  the  Air) 
was  a  divinity  who,  during  his  residence  on  earth, 
instructed  the  people  in  the  use  of  metals,  in  agri- 
culture, in  many  of  the  arts,  in  astronomy,  and  in 
government.  During  his  earthly  sojourn,  fruits, 
flowers,  and  corn  grew  spontaneously.  Cotton  grew 
not  only  white,  but  variegated  in  all  the  colors  of 
the  rainbow.  The  "  God  of  the  Air  "  made  every- 
thing beautiful ;  life  was  one  unalloyed  round  of 
pleasure  and  delight.  After  a  time,  the  other  gods 
became  jealous  of  the  adoration  and  love  the  "God 


And  Her  People.  2 1 9 

of  the  Air "  was  receiving  from  all  the  people,  and 
joining  together,  compelled  him  to  abandon  the 
country.  On  his  way  to  the  East,  he  stopped  at  the 
city  of  Cholula,  where  a  temple  was  built  for  him 
and  dedicated  to  his  worship,  the  massive  ruins 
of  which  still  form  one  of  the  most  interesting  relics 
of  antiquity  in  Mexico.  The  other  gods  were  not 
content  with  his  remaining  even  in  one  city,  but 
compelled  him  to  pursue  his  journey  to  the  eastward. 
When  he  reached  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  he  took  leave 
of  his  followers,  who  were  from  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, but  promised  them  that  he  or  his  descendants 
would  visit  them  again  at  some  future  time;  and 
that  when  he  or  his  descendants  should  come,  they 
would  take  possession  of  the  country  and  govern  it 
in  such  a  rnanner  that  the  inhabitants  would  be  re- 
stored to  all  the  blessings  they  had  enjoyed  while  he 
resided  among  them. 

After  making  this  promise,  he  entered  his  canoe 
made  of  serpents'  skins,  embarked  on  the  great  ocean, 
and  was  lost  to  view  in  the  distant  East.  He  had  a 
white  skin,  dark  hair,  and  a  flowing  beard. 

The  Mexicans  waited  in  confident  and  happy  ex- 
pectation for  the  return  of  their  beloved  deity,  and 
it  was  this  wonderful  legend,  so  firmly  believed  in 
and  so  deeply  cherished,  that  opened  the  way  for 
Cortes. 

The  Spaniards  came  from  the  East  and  had  "  white 
skins,"  "  dark  hair  "  and  "  flowing  beards,"  all  the 
external  features  which  the  descendants  of  the  "  God 
of  the  Air  "  would  naturally  possess.  Therefore  all 


220  Wah-kee-nah 


the  people  wished  to  welcome  the  white  strangers, 
and  were  willing  and  prepared  tp  receive  them  with 
open  arms. 

Not  so,  however,  with  some  of  the  rulers.  On  the 
return  of  the  "  God  of  the  Air,"  all  kings  and  rulers 
would  be  overthrown,  and  he  alone  would  rule  in 
peace  and  plenty.  The  rulers  therefore  feared  and 
dreaded  his  coming,  as  it  would  sound  the  death- 
knell  of  their  power.  Many  of  the  caziques,  how- 
ever, were  so  influenced  by  this  belief,  that  they 
thought  it  foolish  and  worse  than  useless  to  fight 
against  the  men  with  the  "  white  skin,"  as  they 
would  surely  triumph  in  the  end,  and  then  the  "  God 
of  the  Air  "  would  punish  severely  all  those  who  had 
opposed  his  children. 

It  was  this  belief  that  prompted  the"  cazique  of 
Cempoala  to  invite  Cortes  to  his  province,  and  his 
people  to  forgive  his  insult  to  their  gods  and  become 
his  fast  friends. 

On  the  fifteenth  day  of  August,  1519,  Cortes 
started  on  his  march  towards  the  City  of  Mexico, 
the  residence  of  the  great  King  of  whom  he  had 
heard  so  much,  and  from  whom  he  had  received 
such  magnificent  presents.  His  force  consisted  of 
four  hundred  Spaniards,  thirteen  hundred  Cempoalan 
warriors,  and  one  thousand  carriers  to  draw  his 
cannon,  carry  his  baggage,  etc. 

The  first  opposition  he  met  was  from  the  Tlasca- 
lans,  a  tribe  occupying  a  province  that  had  ever 
maintained  its  independence  of  the  Aztec  monarch. 
Cortes  sent  messengers  to  the  rulers  of  Tlascala, 


A  net  Her  People.  2  2 1 

asking  permission  to  pass  through  their  country  on 
his  way  to  the  City  of  Mexico. 

A  council  was  at  once  convened,  at  which  the 
question  was  discussed.  Some  of  the  leading  men 
argued  that  the  "white  skins  "  must  surely  be  the 
descendants  of  the  "  God  of  the  Air,"  and  should  be 
allowed  to  pass  unmolested,  as  they  desired.  Others, 
however,  maintained  that  whether  they  were  such 
descendants  or  not,  they  should  be  opposed  and 
driven  from  the  country,  if  possible,  as  all  rulers 
would  be  hurled  from  power  if  the  "  white  skins  " 
were  successful.  A  compromise  was  finally  reached 
between  these  opposing  factions,  by  which  it  was 
determined  that  their  army  should  fall  upon  the 
Spaniards  and  crush  them  if  possible ;  and  if  they 
should  be  victorious,  it  would  prove  that  the  "  pale 
faces "  were  not  gods,  or  the  descendants  of  the 
"  God  of  the  Air,"  and  if  the  "  white  skins  "  should 
gain  a  victory,  the  council  could  act  afterwards. 
They  detained  the  couriers  Cortes  had  sent,  so  that 
their  army  could  reach  him  before  he  could  know 
the  result  of  their  mission.  The  Indians  poured 
upon  Cortes  in  almost  countless  numbers,  but  they 
found  him  fully  prepared.  They  had  never  been 
confronted  with  fire-arms  before,  and  therefore  ad- 
vanced in  dense  columns,  expecting  to  crush  Cortes 
with  the  force  of  mere  numerical  strength  ;  but,  at  the 
first  discharge  of  the  cannon  and  musketry,  they 
were  mown  down  by  hundreds.  They  were  utterly 
dumfounded  by  the  shock  and  fearful  slaughter,  but 
rallied  and  made  charge  after  charge,  until  the  fate 


222  Wah-kee-nah 


of  the  Spaniards  trembled  in  the  balance.  Cortes 
saw  his  men  weakening,  but  by  wonderful  personal 
daring  encouraged  and  rallied  them,  until  finally  the 
cannon  and  musketry  were  victorious,  and  the  In- 
dians retreated. 

The  common  warriors  were  almost  naked,  but  the 
caziques  and  chiefs  were  clothed  in  quilted  cotton 
armor,  two  inches  thick,  fitting  closely  to  their  entire 
bodies.  Over  this  the  wealthier  ones  wore  cuirasses 
of  gold  or  silver  plate.  Their  legs  were  covered 
with  leather  boots  trimmed  with  gold.  Some  of 
them  had  a  beautiful  mantle  decorated  with  feathers, 
and  upon  their  heads  a  cap  of  wood  or  leather 
representing  the  head  of  some  wild  animal,  some- 
what similar  to  that  worn  by  the  Thlinkeets,  which 
I  have  heretofore  described.  From  the  top  of  this 
cap  floated  a  beautiful  plume  made  of  richly  varie- 
gated feathers,  indicating  by  its  form  and  color  the 
rank  and  family  of  the  wearer. 

This  cotton  armor  would  doubtless  have  been 
serviceable  against  arrows  and  lances,  but  it  formed 
no  defence  against  cannon-balls,  and  little  if  any 
against  the  bullets  of  the  musketry.  It  was  after- 
wards adopted  by  the  Spaniards,  as  being  equal  to 
their  own- against  arrows  and  spears,  and  having  the 
great  advantage  of  being  much  lighter. 

After  this  terrible  defeat,  and  a  slaughter  such  as 
they  had  never  before  known,  the  Tlascalans  held 
another  council,  into  the  deliberations  of  which  they 
called  their  priests.  The  priests  maintained  that 
the  strangers  were  not  gods,  but  were  children  of 


A nd  Her  People.  22$ 

the  sun,  and  derived  their  strength  from  it ;  and  that 
if  they  were  attacked  in  the  night,  when  there  was 
no  sun  to  help  them,  they  could  be  easily  van- 
quished. 

The  party  who  were  still  of v  the  belief  that  the 
"  white  skins  "  were  the  descendants  of  the  "  God  of 
the  Air,"  pointed  to  the  fearful  slaughter  caused  by 
so  few  against  so  many,  and  maintained  that  none 
other  than  children  of  a  God  could  make  the  thunder 
and  lightning  fight  for  them.  They  could  compare 
the  roar  and  flash  of  the  artillery  to  nothing  but 
thunder  and  lightning.  This  party  still  asserted  that 
it  was  worse  than  useless  to  fight  against  destiny, 
and  advised  peace ;  but  the  oracles,  as  delivered 
through  the  priests,  had  the  most  influence  upon  the 
minds  of  the  councillors,  and  the  general  of  the  army 
was  ordered  to  make  a  night  attack. 

Selecting  a  bright  moonlight  night,  he  rushed  his 
army  upon  the  camp  of  the  strangers  with  an  im- 
petuosity almost  overpowering.  It  was  in  this 
attack  that  an  Indian  is  said  to  have  severed  the 
head  of  one  of  the  horses  completely  from  its  body 
with  one  blow  of  a  peculiar  sword  of  Indian  manu- 
facture. But  Cortes  was  again  prepared,  and  the 
Indians  met  with  as  signal  a  defeat  as  that  which 
had  attended  them  under  the  full  glare  of  the  sun. 

Another  council  was  held,  and  it  was  therein 
agreed,  with  practical  unanimity,  that  the  strangers 
must  be  the  descendants  of  the  "  God  of  the  Air," 
and  it  was  further  decided  to  make  peace  with  them 
upon  the  best  terms  obtainable.  A  small  body  of 


224  Wah-kee-nah 


Indians  dressed  in  white,  to  indicate  that  their  mis- 
sion was  one  of  peace,  were  sent  to  the  Spanish  camp 
and  were  admitted.  They  brought  some  provisions 
and  a  few  presents,  and  said  they  were  sent  by  the 
Tlascalan  general  to  say  that  he  was  weary  of  the 
war  and  desired  peace ;  and  that,  if  agreeable,  he 
would  come  himself  in  a  few  days  and  complete 
the  arrangements.  After  a  day  or  two,  some  of 
these  Indians  left  the  camp,  while  about  fifty 
remained.  Cortes  suspected  that  they  were  spies, 
and  ordered  their  hands  cut  off,  and  in  this  maimed 
and  helpless  condition  sent  them  away  with  a  mes- 
sage to  their  general  that  the  Tlascalans  might  come 
by  day  or  night,  and  they  would  find  the  Spaniards 
ready  for  them.  The  return  of  these  men  to  their 
countrymen,  in  this  mutilated  condition,  did  much 
toward  dispelling  the  belief  that  the  strangers  were 
the  descendants  of  the  good  "  God  of  the  Air." 
They  could  not  account  for  such  cruelty. 

We  can  never  know  whether  Cortes  had  good 
ground  for  his  suspicions,  but  knowing  as  we  now  do 
the  condition  of  the  Indians,  and  that  they  had  al- 
ready determined  to  make  peace  with  the  strangers 
prior  to  sending  these  men  to  Cortes'  camp,  the 
probabilities  are  all  against  their  being  spies  ;  and  it 
seems  likely  that  Cortes  indulged  in  this  heartless 
barbarity  more  to  impress  the  Indians,  than  from 
fear  of  any  actual  damage  that  these  Indians  might 
do  him  by  spying  upon  his  camp.  The  mere  fact  of 
his  letting  them  go,  knowing  that  they  could  tell  all 


And  Her  People. 


225 


they  had  seen  as  well  without  hands  as  with,  seems 
conclusive  proof  that  his  act  was  one  of  mere  wanton 
cruelty,  like  the  similar  one  of  De  Soto.  In  either 
case,  putting  the  victims  to  death  would  have  shown 
far  less  of  barbarity  and  cruelty. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

ON  the  second  day  following  the  events  narrated 
in  the  last  chapter,  the  Tlascalan  general  came 
to  the  camp,  with  a  numerous  train  of  atten- 
dants. The  Spaniards  gazed  admiringly  upon  this 
valiant  chief  as  he  advanced  with  firm  and  fearless 
tread,  as  if  coming  to  bid  defiance  rather  than  to  sue 
for  peace.  He  was  a  large  man,  with  a  fine  physique, 
and  about  thirty-five  years  of  age.  When  he  came 
into  the  presence  of  Cortes,  he  saluted  by  touching 
the  ground  with  his  hand  and  carrying  it  to  his  head 
(the  salute  to  a  superior),  while  the  sweet  incense  of 
aromatic  gums  arose  in  clouds  from  the  censers  car- 
ried by  his  slaves. 

The  salutations  ended,  he  made  a  speech  to  Cortes 
(interpreted  by  Marina),  in  which  he  said  :  "  I  con- 
sidered the  white  men  enemies,  for  they  came  with 
the  Cempoalans,  who  are  the  allies  and  vassals  of 
King  Montezuma.  I  love  my  country,  and  wish  to 
preserve  the  independence  she  has  maintained  through 
her  long  wars  with  the  Aztecs.  I  have  been  beaten. 
You  may  be  the  strangers  who,  it  has  been  so  long 
predicted,  would  come  from  the  East,  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  country.  I  hope  you  will  use  your 

226 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.          227 

victory  with  moderation,  and  not  trample  upon  the 
liberties  of  my  country.  I  come  now  in  the  name  of 
my  nation  to  tender  its  obedience,  assuring  you  that 
you  will  find  my  countrymen  as  faithful  in  peace  as 
they  have  been  brave  in  war." 

Cortes  replied  :  "  I  am  willing  to  bury  in  oblivion 
your  past  bad  conduct  in  fighting  me,  and  will  receive 
the  Tlascalans  as  vassals  to  the  Emperor,  my  master. 
If  you  prove  true,  I  will  remain  your  friend  :  if  false, 
I  will  wreak  speedy  vengeance  upon  you." 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  speeches,  the  general 
withdrew  with  as  much  ceremony  as  he  had  ap- 
proached. 

Before  the  Tlascalans  had  left  the  camp,  an  em- 
bassy arrived  from  King  Montezuma.  Couriers  had 
kept  him  thoroughly  posted  in  regard  to  the  doings 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  he  knew  how  terribly  the  Tlas- 
calans had  been  slaughtered  by  the  little  band  of 
white  men.  These  things  had  put  him  in  mortal 
fear,  for  he  was  a  firm  believer  in  the  legend,  and 
thought  he  saw  in  the  "  white  skin,  black  hair,  and 
flowing  beards  "  of  the  Spaniards  the  "  men  of  des- 
tiny "  who  were  to  take  possession  of  his  sceptre. 

In  his  alarm  he  had  sent  a  new  embassy  to  the 
Spanish  camp.  It  consisted  of  five  great  nobles, 
with  two  hundred  slaves.  They  carried  a  present 
of  three  thousand  ounces  of  gold  in  grains  and  some 
curiously  manufactured  articles  in  gold,  besides  sev- 
eral hundred  mantles  and  dresses  of  cotton,  finely 
embroidered,  and  much  beautiful  feather  work. 

After  the  presentation  of  the  presents,  one  of  the 


228  Wah-kee-nah 


nobles  stepped  forward  and,  turning  to  Cortes,  said  : 
"  We  have  come  to  present  you  with  these  few  gifts, 
and  to  offer  you  the  congratulations  of  King  Monte- 
zuma,  upon  the  victories  you  have  won.  He  also 
instructed  us  to  say,  that  it  was  still  out  of  his  power 
to  receive  you  at  his  capital,  as  the  people  are  so 
unruly  that  your  safety  would  be  placed  in  jeopardy." 
Cortes  replied  :  "  I  have  orders  from  the  great  Em- 
peror of  the  East  to  visit  the  capital  of  your  sov- 
ereign, and  communicate  with  him  face  to  face, 
and  under  no  circumstances  can  his  orders  be 
disobeyed." 

The  ambassadors  seeing  the  determination  of 
Cortes,  and  that  their  arguments  had  no  weight  with 
him,  offered  a  tribute  to  the  Spanish  sovereign,  if 
Cortes  would  relinquish  his  intended  visit  to  the 
capital. 

This  offer  of  a  tribute  at  once  revealed  fear  upon 
the  part  of  Montezuma,  which  Cortes  was  not  slow 
to  perceive,  and  he  reiterated  that  by  reason  of  the 
commands  of  his  sovereign  he  would  be  obliged  to 
disregard  the  wishes  of  Montezuma.  At  the  same 
time  he  expressed  the  most  profound  respect  for  the 
Aztec  sovereign,  and  said  that  although  he  had  not 
the  means  at  the  present  time  to  requite  his  munifi- 
cence, he  hoped  and  trusted  he  would  have  the  op- 
portunity at  some  future  day  to  repay  him  with 
"  good  works." 

We  will  see  hereafter  with  what  "  good  works  "  he 
repaid  him. 

Several  of  the  ambassadors  returned  at  once  to  the 


A  nd  Her  People.  229 

City  of  Mexico  to  inform  their  sovereign  of  the 
result  of  their  mission,  while  others  remained  with 
Cortes.  After  a  few  days  he  marched  into  the  City 
of  Tlascala,  about  eighteen  miles  distant. 

His  line  of  march  led  through  a  hilly  region,  ex- 
hibiting in  every  arable  patch  of  ground  evidences 
of  laborious  cultivation.  Over  one  of  the  ravines 
was  an  arched  stone  bridge  on  which  Cortes  crossed 
with  all  his  army.  They  passed  quite  a  number  of 
small  towns,  and  as  they  approached  the  city  were 
met  by  an  immense  throng  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, with  bunches  and  wreathes  of  roses  and  various 
other  beautiful  flowers,  which  they  presented  to  the 
Spaniards.  Priests  in  their  white  robes  mingled  with 
the  crowd,  sending  up  volumes  of  incense  from  their 
burning  censers.  The  crowd  was  so  great  that  it 
was  difficult  for  the  native  police  to  clear  and  keep 
open  a  passage-way  for  the  white  army.  The  houses 
were  festooned  with  flowers,  and  arches  of  evergreen 
boughs,  intertwined  with  roses  and  honeysuckles, 
were  built  over  the  streets.  The  procession  moved 
through  the  principal  streets,  and  came  to  a  halt  in 
front  of  the  mansion  of  the  most  aged  of  the  rulers 
of  the  country,  whose  son  was  the  general  of  the 
Army.  This  ruler  was  nearly  blind,  and  to  satisfy 
his  curiosity  in  regard  to  the  wonderful  white  men, 
passed  his  hand  over  the  face  and  person  of  Cortes. 
He  then  led  the  way  to  a  spacious  hall  in  the  man- 
sion, where  he  had  had  a  banquet  prepared  for  the 
Spaniards,  and  they  all  partook  of  it.  After  the 
feast  they  were  shown  to  their  quarters  in  build- 


230  Wah-kee-nah 


ings   and   grounds    surrounding   one   of    the   large 
temples. 

And  these  were  Indians,  and  Cortes  was  in  an 
Indian  city,  where  no  white  man  had  ever  set  his 
foot  before  ;  Indians  who  had  never  learned  anything 
of  architecture,  government,  or  civility,  except 
through  the  development  of  their  own  brain. 

Did  not  their  diplomacy,  speeches,  giving  of 
flowers,  festooning  of  the  houses,  and  building  of 
evergreen  and  floral  arches  over  the  streets,  denote 
civilization  and  even  high  culture? 

While  in  this  city,  Cortes  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
Spanish  Emperor,  in  which  he  compares  Tlascala 
with  Granada.  He  said :  "  It  is  larger,  stronger, 
and  more  populous  than  the  Moorish  capital,  and 
quite  as  well  built.  The  better  class  of  houses  are 
built  of  stone  and  lime,  others  of  brick  dried  in  the 
sun.  The  doors  and  windows  are  made  of  mats,  with 
pieces  of  copper  or  something  which  by  its  tinkling 
sound  will  give  notice  of  any  one's  entrance.  Thirty 
thousand  people  are  often  gathered  together  upon 
the  plazas  upon  fair-  or  market-days,  which  occur 
every  fifth  day.  They  excel  in  pottery,  and  the  in- 
habitants from  the  surrounding  country  bring  in  their 
wares  and  provisions  to  sell  or  exchange.  They 
also  have  barber-shops  and  baths,  both  of  vapor  and 
hot  water,  and  the  inhabitants  make  great  use  of 
them." 

This  indicates  a  very  decided  advance  in  civiliza- 
tion. 

The  city  was  divided   into  four  distinct  quarters, 


A  nd  Her  People.  231 

separated  by  high  stone  walls.  A  swift  running 
stream  coursed  through  it,  which  as  it  entered  fur- 
nished water  for  the  inhabitants,  and  as  it  left  was 
utilized  as  a  sewer  for  the  city.  The  Tlascalan  led  a 
life  of  temperance  and  toil,  earned  his  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  his  brow,  and  was  patriotic  and  inde- 
pendent. 

For  several  days  the  Spaniards  were  entertained 
at  the  hospitable  boards  of  the  four  great  rulers,  and 
during  this  time  the  rulers  presented  Cortes  with 
three  or  four  hundred  maidens,  among  whom  were 
several  daughters  of  the  caziques.  His  religious 
scruples  would  not  allow  him  to  accept  them  until 
they  were  baptised,  so  a  great  ceremony  was  held, 
and  each  maiden  was  formally  baptised,  and  given  a 
new  name.  The  ceremony  ended,  Cortes  assigned 
the  daughters  of  the  caziques  to  his  officers,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  maidens  he  distributed  among  his 
Christian  soldiery. 

While  still  in  this  city,  Montezuma  sent  another 
embassy  to  Cortes,  this  time  changing  his  tone  en- 
tirely, inviting  him  to  his  capital,  and  asking  him 
to  take  the  route  through  the  friendly  city  of  Cholula, 
where  by  his  royal  orders  arrangements  would  be 
made  for  his  reception. 

The  Tlascalans  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  going 
to  the  City  of  Mexico,  or  putting  any  trust  in  Monte- 
zuma, saying  that  his  armies  spread  over  every  part 
of  the  country,  and  that  in  his  capital,  on  account 
of  its  insular  position,  the  Spaniards  could  easily  be 
entrapped.  They  said  :  "  Trust  not  his  fair  words, 


232  Wah-kee-nah 


his  courtesies  and  his  gifts,  his  professions  are  false." 
This  affords  another  illustration  of  the  true  friend- 
ship of  Indians  for  those  whom  they  consider  friends. 

After  listening  quietly  to  all  they  had  to  say, 
Cortes  replied :  "  I  know  from  what  I  have  heard 
that  Montezuma  is  a  great  King,  and  has  large  armies, 
but  he  is  not  invincible,  as  you  well  know,  for  you 
yourselves  have  beaten  him  in  many  battles,  and  have 
maintained  your  own  independence  of  him  for  many 
years.  I  have  commands  from  my  sovereign  to 
proceed  to  the  capital,  and  my  sovereign  is  so  much 
greater  and  so  much  more  powerful  than  Montezuma, 
that  his  commands  cannot  be  disobeyed,  and  I  know 
I  can  withstand  all  the  armies  Montezuma  can  send 
against  me." 

He  also  very  adroitly  insinuated  that  if  they  would 
join  their  army  with  his  they  would  reap  great  bene- 
fit, for  in  that  way  they  would  see  Montezuma  hum- 
bled, and  would  make  their  independence  of  him 
doubly  sure. 

This  thought  pleased  the  Tlascalans,  and  thousands 
of  their  warriors  volunteered  to  accompany  him,  many 
more  than  he  thought  best  to  take.  He  selected  six 
thousand  of  their  best  fighting  and  best-armed  men, 
and  on  the  appointed  day  started. 

Bernald  Diaz,  who  was  with  Cortes,  says :  "  On 
the  way  we  found  rich  products  of  various  climes 
growing  side  by  side,  fields  of  fine  large  maize,  the 
juicy  aloe,  the  pepper,  and  large  plantations  of  the 
cactus,  on  which  the  cochineal  feed.  We  did  not  see 
a  rood  of  arable  land  that  was  not  under  cultivation, 


A  nd  Her  People.  233 

In  many  places  the  soil  was  irrigated  by  numerous 
streams  and  artificial  canals." 

This  description  is  given  by  one  of  the  first  white 
men  who  ever  saw  that  country,  and  where  in  the 
civilized  world  can  be  found  a  better  system  of 
agriculture,  or  more  thorough  farming,  than  existed 
among  the  Indians  of  Mexico? 

When  Cortes  arrived  at  Cholula  he  camped  just 
outside  the  city,  where  he  was  met  by  the  caziques. 
The  Cholulans  objected  to  having  their  enemies,  the 
Tlascalans,  enter  the  city,  and  Cortes,  appreciating 
their  objection,  had  them  remain  outside,  while  he 
and  his  Spaniards  entered,  attended  only  by  enough 
Cempoalans  to  draw  the  cannon  and  carry  the  bag- 
gage. 

The  Tlascalans  gave  him  many  cautions  about  the 
Cholulans,  telling  him  that  he  could  not  trust  them, 
and  earnestly  advising  him  to  be  on  the  constant  look- 
out for  them,  as  they  were  treacherous  and  cunning. 

The  reception  given  Cortes  at  Cholula  was  similar 
to  that  at  Tlascala — crowds,  flowers,  festooned  build- 
ings, evergreen  arches,  etc. 

The  Spaniards  were  surprised  to  find  the  Cholulans 
a  superior-looking  people  to  any  they  had  yet  seen. 
They  were  better  dressed,  the  richer  classes  wearing 
fine  embroidered  mantles  resembling  the  graceful 
Moorish  cloak.  The  people  were  more  quiet  and  or- 
derly, and  seemed  to  be  under  better  discipline  and 
government.  The  Spaniards  were  astonished  at  the 
cleanliness  of  the  city,  and  the  great  width  and  regu- 
larity of  the  streets,  which  had  evidently  been  laid 


234  Wah-kee-nah 


out  on  a  well-settled  plan;  also  with  the  size  and 
solidity  of  the  houses,  and  the  number  and  size  of 
the  temples.  Their  dimensions  can  be  imagined  from 
the  fact  that  the  Spaniards,  numbering  about  four 
hundred,  with  their  Cempoalan  attendants,  number- 
ing about  one  thousand,  as  well  as  the  four  hundred 
maidens,  were  all  quartered  in  the  court  of  one  of 
them. 

They  were  visited  by  all  the  great  nobles,  who 
provided  most  bountifully  for  their  table,  and  ex- 
pressed so  much  solicitude  for  their  welfare  and 
comfort  that  it  completely  disarmed  them  of  all 
suspicions  of  treachery. 

After  a  few  days  of  this -rest  and  feasting,  some  mes- 
sengers arrived  from  Montezuma  and  told  Cortes  that 
his  approach  to  the  City  of  Mexico  was  causing  much 
disquietude,  and  after  conferring  with  the  ambassa- 
dors of  Montezuma  who  had  remained  in  Cortes'  camp, 
withdrew,  taking  one  of  the  ambassadors  with  them. 

After  this,  everything  was  changed.  The  nobles 
ceased  to  visit  the  Spaniards,  and  when  invited  would 
excuse  themselves  on  the  ground  of  illness.  Cortes 
knew  that  this  boded  no  good,  and  was  exceedingly 
troubled.  Some  of  the  Cempoalans  in  their  walks 
through  the  city  had  seen  some  of  the  streets  barri- 
caded, and  large  piles  of  stones  on  the  flat  roofs  of 
some  of  the  houses  ;  others  had  discovered  holes  dug 
across  the  street  in  places,  and  covered  so  as  to  avoid 
detection,  and  that  these  holes  had  upright  stakes 
planted  in  the  bottom  of  them  ;  others  had  seen  great 
numbers  of  women  and  children  leaving  the  city. 


A  nd  Her  People.  235 

All  these  reports  confirmed  Cortes  in  the  belief 
that  some  hostile  scheme  was  on  foot. 

Marina  was  a  most  faithful  friend  of  Cortes,  and 
she  now  proved  his  guardian  angel.  During  their 
stay  at  Cholula,  a  wife  of  one  of  the  caziques  had 
become  much  interested  in  her,  often  inviting  her  to 
visit  at  her  home,  which  she  did.  On  one  occasion 
the  wife  intimated  to  her  that  she  had  better  leave 
the  Spaniards  and  come  to  her  house.  Marina  had 
a  fine,  bright  mind,  and  at  once  surmised  that  some- 
thing was  going  to  happen,  so  in  order  to  gain  the 
secret,  she  pretended  she  was  heartily  tired  of  being 
held  a  prisoner  among  the  Spaniards,  and  would 
rejoice  in  their  destruction.  She  was  so  adroit  and 
seemed  so  sincere  in  what  she  said  as  to  completely 
deceive  the  woman  and  disarm  her  of  all  suspicion, 
so  that  she  unfolded  to  Marina  the  entire  plan. 

She  said  that  Montezuma  had  sent  rich  presents 
to  the  caziques,  her  husband  among  the  rest,  to  get 
them  to  destroy  the  Spaniards.  They  were  to  be 
assaulted  as  they  marched  out  of  the  city,  and  a 
great  many  things  had  been  done  to  prevent  their 
marching  in  any  order  or  haste.  Montezuma  had 
already  sent  a  force  of  twenty  thousand  men,  who 
were  now  encamped  not  far  from  the  city,  to  assist 
in  the  attack,  and  she  thought  the  "  pale  faces " 
would  all  be  killed,  as  they  would  be  taken  un- 
awares. 

As  soon  as  possible  Marina  informed  Cortes  of  all 
she  had  learned.  Cortes  then  bribed  two  priests, 
with  some  of  the  rich  presents  Montezuma  had  sent 


236  Wah-kee-nah 


him,  to  tell  him  all  the  details  of  the  plot,  which 
they  did.  He  then  sent  word  to  the  caziques  that 
he  should  leave  the  city  on  the  morning  of  the  next 
day. 

In  the  morning  he  started,  and  soon  saw  several 
thousand  men  standing  in  the  streets  and  open 
places,  all  armed.  He  at  once  opened  fire  upon 
them  with  great  slaughter,  piling  the  ground  with 
the  slain.  They  thought  Cortes  would  suppose  the 
warriors  had  been  gathered  for  an  honorary  escort 
to  him,  and  this  sudden  and  unexpected  attack  and 
fearful  slaughter  threw  them  into  the  wildest  dis- 
order and  confusion,  and,  at  a  preconcerted  signal, 
the  six  thousand  Tlascalans,  ever  the  hated  enemies 
of  the  Cholulans,  poured  upon  the  flying  warriors 
with  terrible  fury.  So  great  was  the  dismay  and 
terror  caused  by  this  sudden,  unexpected,  and  fearful 
discharge  of  cannon  and  musketry,  something  their 
ears  had  never  heard  nor  their  eyes  seen,  that  it  was 
impossible  to  rally  them,  and  the  Tlascalans  had  a 
fine  opportunity  to  wreak  vengeance  upon  their  old 
and  hated  foes. 

The  flying  Cholulans,  rushing  into  the  camp  in 
such  fearful  disorder  and  fright,  carried  dismay  to 
Montezuma's  forces,  and  soon  all  were  flying  before 
the  victorious  army  of  Cortes. 

The  Spaniards  and  Tlascalans  then  ransacked  and 
pillaged  the  city.  Order  was  finally  established,  by 
prevailing  upon  some  of  the  Cholulan  caziques  to 
return,  and  through  them  the  people.  There  were 
about  five  thousand  Cholulan  warriors  slain. 


And  Her  People.  237 

This  was  the  first  time  the  natives  had  felt  the 
white  man's  vengeance.  They  had  met  him  in 
battle  and  been  conquered,  but  there  the  slaughter 
had  ended.  Here  terrible  vengeance  had  been 
wreaked  upon  them  for  daring  to  conspire  against 
the  Spaniards.  They  had  been  slaughtered  by 
thousands,  and  their  city  pillaged  and  robbed  of 
everything  of  value.  No  wonder  the  natives  be- 
lieved the  white  men  "  gods,"  little  thinking  that  it 
was  only  powder  and  ball  that  gave  them  this 
superior  power. 

This  affair  created  fearful  consternation  through- 
out the  entire  empire.  The  Indians  were  now  con- 
vinced that  the  men  with  the  "  white  skin  "  were  not 
only  invincible  in  arms,  but  that  they  possessed  an 
attribute  of  the  gods — the  foreknowledge  of  events. 
It  was  a  mystery  to  them  how  Cortes  could  have 
known  of  the  conspiracy  to  destroy  him,  before  a 
single  arrow  had  been  shot  or  the  slightest  intima- 
tion given  of  such  an  intention.  The  result  was  that 
many  caziques  immediately  sent  envoys  to  the 
Spanish  camp,  tendering  their  allegiance  and  suing 
for  favor  by  rich  presents  of  gold  and  slaves. 

Montezuma  trembled  upon  his  throne.  He  was 
amazed,  bewildered.  His  mind  turned  gloomily  to 
the  reference  to  the  legend  made  in  the  speech  at 
his  accession.  This  speech  has  been  literally  trans- 
lated, and  the  allusion  to  the  legend  was  as  follows: 

"  Perhaps  you  are  dismayed  at  the  prospect  of  the 
terrible  calamities  that  are  one  day  to  overwhelm  us  ; 
calamities  foreseen  and  foretold,  though  not  felt  by 


238  Wah-kee-nah 


•our  forefathers  ;  when  the  destruction  and  desolation 
of  the  Empire  shall  come  ;  when  all  shall  be  plunged 
into  darkness ;  when  the  hour  shall  arrive  in  which 
they  shall  make  us  slaves  throughout  the  land,  and 
we  shall  be  condemned  to  the  lowest  and  most 
degrading  offices." 

This  is  an  exact  translation  from  their  records.  It 
shows  us  what  a  strong  hold  that  legend  had  taken 
upon  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  people  of  that 
empire.  They  firmly  believed  it,  and  that  was  the 
reason  why  some  of  the  caziques  thought  it  worse 
than  useless  to  contend  against  the  "  white  skins," 
for  if  not  successful  (which  they  fully  believed  they 
would  not  be),  they  would  be  terribly  punished  for 
having  done  so. 

Montezuma  feared  the  time  had  come  for  the  ful- 
filment of  this  prophecy.  Everything  looked  like 
it.  His  courage  and  prowess,  that  had  enabled  him 
to  conquer  province  after  province  and  add  them  to 
his  empire,  now  forsook  him  entirely.  He  was  be- 
ginning to  think  the  white  strangers  invincible,  as 
everything  seemed  to  indicate  that  they  were  the 
agents  of  destruction  referred  to  in  the  ancient 

o 

prophecy.  He  again  sent  envoys  to  Cortes,  bearing, 
as  before,  rich  presents  of  gold  plate  and  ornaments 
of  gold,  among  which  were  beautifully  carved  birds 
wrought  in  this  precious  metal,  and  many  garments 
made  of  the  finest  and  most  delicate  fabrics.  These 
were  sent,  the  envoys  said,  merely  to  reassure  Cortes 
of  the  Emperor's  good  wishes. 

A  little  more  than  two  weeks  after  Cortes'  arrival 


And  Her  People.  2  39 

at  Cholula,  he  again  started  on  his  march  for  the 
City  of  Mexico.  He  found  the  land  under  the  same 
state  of  cultivation  that  had  existed  between  Tiascala 
and  Cholula.  Large  and  luxuriant  plantations  ex- 
tended on  every  side,  watered  by  natural  streams  or 
irrigated  by  artificial  canals.  On  the  mountain  passes 
were  commodious  stone  buildings  which  the  govern- 
ment had  placed  here  and  there,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  travellers  and  government  couriers  passing 
over  these  cold  and  bleak  mountains.  As  they 
descended  upon  the  other  side,  they  were  surprised 
to  see  a  beautiful  valley  "  spread  out  like  a  gay 
panorama."  Stretching  far  at  their  feet  were  large 
fields  of  maize  and  also  of  maguey,  intermingled  with 
orchards  and  blooming  gardens.  Flowers  were  even 
more  abundant  in  this  valley  than  in  the  other  parts 
of  the  country  they  had  passed,  and  considerable 
attention  seemed  to  have  been  given  to  their  culti- 
vation and  arrangement  in  beds,  with  reference  to 
ornamentation  in  the  blending  of  colors.  The  cen- 
tre of  this  valley  was  filled  with  lakes,  their  borders 
thickly  studded  with  towns  and  hamlets,  and  in  the 
midst  of  these  lakes — "  Like  some  Indian  empress 
with  her  coronal  of  pearls  " — stood  the  fair  city,  with 
her  white  towers  and  massive  temples,  reposing,  as 
it  were,  on  the  bosom  of  the  waters — the  far-famed 
City  of  Mexico— the  "  Venice  of  the  Aztecs."  The 
hill  of  Chapultepec,  upon  which  was  the  summer 
residence  of  the  monarch,  rose  high  over  the  city, 
and  extended  to  the  shore  of  the  lake. 

Such  was  the  beautiful  vision  that  broke  upon  the 


240  Wah-kee-nah 


eyes  of  the  Spaniards.  They  saw  in  all  this  the 
evidence  of  a  civilization  and  power  far  superior  to 
anything  they  had  yet  encountered. 

When  Montezuma  heard  that  these  strange  men, 
so  invincible  in  war,  so  impregnable  to  bribes,  had 
really  crossed  the  mountains  and  were  in  the  valley 
near  his  capital,  he  went  into  a  paroxysm  of  despair, 
shut  himself  up  in  his  palace,  refused  food,  and 
sought  relief  in  prayer.  He  was  now  convinced 
that  these  were  they  whose  coming  had  been  fore- 
told. 

At  last  he  called  a  council.  His  nobles  were  di- 
vided in  opinion.  Some  advised  receiving  the  stran- 
gers courteously,  as  ambassadors  of  a  great  sovereign ; 
others  advised  gathering  his  army  at  once  and  fight- 
ing to  the  death. 

But  Montezuma  was  completely  under  the  spell  of 
the  ancient  prophecy,  and  with  downcast  eye,  and 
dejected  mien,  said  :  "  Of  what  avail  is  resistance 
when  the  gods  have  declared  themselves  against  us  ? 
Yet  I  mourn  most  for  the  old  and  infirm,  the  women 
and  the  children,  too  feeble  to  fight  or  to  fly.  For 
myself  and  the  brave  men  around  us,  we  must  bare 
our  breasts  to  the  storm,  and  meet  it  as  we  may." 

After  the  council  was  dismissed,  Montezuma  con- 
cluded to  try  once  more  to  conciliate  the  Spaniards. 
He  immediately  sent  another  embassy,  consisting  of 
several  Aztec  nobles,  bearing  as  usual  large  presents 
of  gold  and  robes  of  beautiful  furs  and  feathers. 
This  time  he  offered  a  large  bribe  to  them  if  they 
would  return  and  not  visit  his  capital.  He  prom- 


And  Her  People.  241 

ised  four  loads  of  gold  to  the  General,  and  one  to 
each  of  the  captains,  with  a  yearly  tribute  to  their 
sovereign.  Thus  effectually  had  the  lofty  and  natu- 
rally courageous  spirit  of  the  Indian  monarch  been 
subdued  by  the  influence  of  superstition.  His  firm 
belief  in  the  prophecy  had  taken  away  all  his  spirit 
and  courage. 

Cortes  received  the  gifts  in  a  courteous  manner, 
but,  as  might  have  been  expected,  replied  that  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  disobey  the  commands  of  his 
sovereign,  who  had  ordered  him  to  visit  the  capital 
of  the  renowned  Aztec  monarch  and  confer  with  him 
face  to  face.  He  also  informed  the  ambassadors 
that  he  came  in  the  spirit  of  peace,  and  that  Monte- 
zuma  would  be  convinced  of  that  fact  by  his  actions. 

16 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE  Spaniards  had  remained  two  days  at  a  town 
containing  many  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
upon  their  departure  the  cazique  gave  them 
gold  to  the  amount  of  three  thousand  "  castella- 
nos."  After  leaving  this  place,  they  passed  through 
large  plantations  of  maize  and  maguey,  which  latter 
may  be  called  the  Aztec  vineyards. 

Cortes  next  stopped  at  a  town  built  over  the 
water.  The  canals  which  intersected  the  city  in  lieu 
of  streets  were  full  of  boats  loaded  with  provisions, 
various  kinds  of  merchandise,  etc.,  going  to  and  fro. 
The  Spaniards  were  struck  with  the  style  and  com- 
modious structure  of  the  houses,  built  chiefly  of 
stone,  and  having  the  general  appearance  of  wealth 
and  luxury.  The  sentries,  fearful  of  treachery,  shot 
down  fifteen  or  twenty  Indians  the  first  night. 

The  next  morning  the  cazique  of  Texcuco,  who 
was  the  next  in  rank  to  Montezuma,  came  to  visit 
Cortes.  He  was  brought  in  a  palanquin,  richly 
decorated  with  plates  of  gold  and  precious  stones 
and  having  a  canopy  of  green  plumes  supported  by 
curiously  wrought  pillars,  borne  upon  the  shoulders 
of  his  carriers.  He  was  also  accompanied  by  a  large 
number  of  nobles  and  attendants.  When  he  ap- 

242 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.          243 

preached  Cortes,  he  descended  from  his  palanquin, 
and  his  slaves  swept  the  ground  before  him  as  he 
advanced.  He  was  a  young  man,  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  of  fine  presence,  erect  and  stately  in 
his  deportment.  After  making  the  usual  salutation 
to  persons  of  high  rank,  he  informed  Cortes  that  he 
came  as  the  representative  of  Montezuma  to  bid  the 
Spaniards  welcome  to  the  capital.  He  then  pre- 
sented Cortes  with  three  pearls  of  uncommon  size 
and  lustre.  Cortes  presented  him  with  a  chain  of 
cut  glass,  and  assured  him  of  his  friendly  intentions. 
The  Indian  prince  then  took  his  departure.  The 
Spaniards  were  impressed  with  his  state  and  bearing. 
The  nearer  they  came  to  the  throne  the  more  supe- 
rior were  the  men  they  met. 

After  the  prince  had  departed,  Cortes  resumed  his 
march.  His  army  passed  through  orchards  filled 
with  rich  and  strange  fruits,  and  through  cultivated 
fields  irrigated  by  canals  bringing  water  from  a 
neighboring  lake.  The  whole  country  showed  a 
careful  and  economical  husbandry. 

A  causeway  four  or  five  miles  in  length,  ten  or 
twelve  feet  in  width  in  its  narrowest  part,  and  wide 
enough  for  eight  horsemen  to  ride  abreast,  was  the 
next  object  of  interest.  It  was  a  solid  structure 
of  stone  and  lime,  running  directly  through  theiake, 
a  most  remarkable  piece  of  work.  Here  they  saw 
floating  gardens,  that  looked  like  islands  of  flowers 
and  vegetables  moving  over  the  waters.  All  around 
the  margin  of  the  lake,  at  times  extending  quite 
a  distance  into  and  over  the  water,  were  little 


244  Wah-kee-nak 


towns  and  villages,  half  concealed  by  the  foliage. 
The  Spaniards  were  amazed  at  the  scene.  They 
could  compare  it  to  nothing  they  had  ever  known, 
for  it  seemed  more  like  fairy-land,  than  anything 
in  real  life. 

Midway  across  the  lake  was  a  town,  composed 
of  more  beautiful  houses  than  any  they  had  yet 
seen.  Here  Cortes  halted  for  refreshments.  Pro- 
ceeding on  his  journey,  he  came  to  a  place  called 
Iztapalapan,  containing  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
thousand  houses,  the  residence  of  a  brother  of 
King  Montezuma,  and  the  ruler  of  the  place.  He, 
after  giving  Cortes  a  present  of  gold  and  other 
articles,  invited  him  with  his  men  to  a  banquet 
served  in  one  of  the  great  halls  of  his  palace. 
Cortes,  writing  to  the  King  of  Spain,  says  of  this 
place :  "  The  architecture  is  excellent,  and  I  do 
not  hesitate  to  say  that  some  of  the  buildings  are 
equal  to  the  best  in  Spain.  They  are  of  stone, 
and  the  spacious  apartments  have  roofs  of  odorous 
cedar  wood,  and  the  walls  are  hung  with  tapestry 
of  fine  cottons  with  brilliant  colorings." 

"  The  pride  of  Iztapalapan,"  on  which  its  lord 
had  freely  lavished  his  care  and  revenues,  was  its 
beautiful  gardens.  They  covered  an  immense  tract 
of  land  ;  were  laid  out  in  regular  squares,  and  the 
paths  intersecting  them  were  bordered  with  trel- 
lises, supporting  creepers  and  aromatic  shrubs  that 
filled  the  air  with  their  perfumes.  The  gardens 
were  stocked  with  fruit-trees  imported  from  dis- 
tant places,  and  with  the  gaudy  family  of  flowers 


And  Her  People.  245 

which  belong  to  the  Mexican  flora,  scientifically 
arranged,  and  growing  luxuriantly  in  the  equable 
temperature  of  the  table-land.  The  natural  dry- 
ness  of  the  atmosphere  was  counteracted  by  means 
of  aqueducts  and  canals,  which  carried  water  into 
all  parts  of  the  grounds. 

In  one  quarter  was  an  aviary  filled  with  numerous 
kinds  of  birds,  remarkable  in  this  region  for  bril- 
liancy of  plumage.  The  gardens  were  intersected 
by  a  canal  communicating  with  the  lake  Texcuco, 
and  of  sufficient  size  for  barges  to  enter  from  the 
latter.  But  the  most  elaborate  piece  of  work  was 
a  huge  reservoir  of  stone,  filled  to  a  considerable 
height  with  water  well  supplied  with  different 
kinds  of  fish.  This  reservoir  was  four  thousand 
eight  hundred  feet  in  circumference,  and  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  walk,  made  also  of  stone,  wide 
enough  for  four  persons  to  walk  abreast.  The 
sides  were  curiously  sculptured,  having  a  flight  of 
steps  leading  to  the  water  below.  Many  fountains 
added  their  beauty  to  the  scene. 

Such  are  the  accounts  of  these  beautiful  gardens, 
at  a  period  when  similar  horticulture  was  unknown 
in  Europe.  We  cannot  doubt  their  existence,  as 
they  were  matters  of  such  notoriety  at  the  time,  and 
are  so  thoroughly  attested. 

Cortes  remained  in  this  town  over  night.  His 
force  consisted  of  about  seven  thousand,  of  whom 
less  than  four  hundred  were  Spaniards.  His  cavalry 
amounted  to  fifteen  horses.  Another  causeway 
connected  the  town  of  Iztapalapan  with  the  City  of 


246  Wah-kee-nah 


Mexico.  This  was  wide  enough  for  ten  horsemen  to 
ride  abreast.  It  was  solidly  built  of  stone,  laid  in 
cement,  and  astonished  the  Spaniards  with  its  me- 
chanical construction,  and  geometrical  precision.  At 
the  distance  of  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  capital, 
a  solid  work  of  stone,  twelve  feet  high,  was  built 
directly  across  the  causeway,  strengthened  by  towers 
at  each  end,  and  in  the  centre  was  a  gateway  for  the 
passage  of  the  troops. 

Here  he  was  met  by  a  large  number  of  Aztec  chiefs, 
who  came  to  announce  the  approach  of  Montezuma. 
They  were  richly  and  gaily  dressed.  About  their 
necks  and  upon  their  arms  were  collars  and  bracelets 
of  turquoise  mosaic,  with  which  delicate  plumage  was 
curiously  mingled.  Each  cazique  saluted  Cortes  with 
the  salutation  due  a  superior,  and  there  were  so  many 
of  them  that  the  ceremony  delayed  him  more  than 
an  hour.  This  finished,  he  marched  on  until  he  came 
to  a  wooden  drawbridge  which  was  just  in  front  of 
the  walls  of  the  city.  As  soon  as  they  had  passed 
the  bridge,  they  saw  the  glittering  retinue  of  the 
Emperor  coming  down  the  wide  street  of  the  city. 

Montezuma  came  in  a  palanquin  blazing  with 
burnished  gold,  preceded  by  three  nobles  bearing 
golden  wands.  Over  the  palanquin  was  a  canopy  of 
gaudy  featherwork,  interspersed  with  jewels  and 
fringed  with  silver.  It  was  borne  upon  the  shoulders 
of  nobles  of  high  rank,  and  the  canopy  was  also  car- 
ried by  nobles.  The  nobles  bearing  the  palanquin 
and  canopy  were  all  barefooted,  and  walked  with  a 
slow  and  measured  tread,  and  with  eyes  bent  upon 


And  Her  People.  247 

the  ground.  When  within  a  convenient  distance, 
Montezuma  alighted  and  came  forward,  leaning  upon 
the  arms  of  the  chiefs  of  Iztapalapan  and  Texcuco,  his 
brother  and  nephew,  both  of  whom  had  already  been 
introduced  to  Cortes. 

As  the  monarch  advanced,  the  canopy  was  carried 
over  his  head,  and  attendants  placed  cotton  tapestry 
before  him,  so  that  his  imperial  feet  should  not  touch 
the  ground.  His  subjects  of  high  degree,  who  lined 
the  sides  of  the  causeway,  stood  with  heads  bowed 
low,  and  their  eyes  resting  on  the  ground.  Those  of 
low  degree  prostrated  themselves  before  him. 

"  Montezuma  wore  the  girdle  and  ample  square 
cloak  of  his  nation.  It  was  made  of  the  finest  cot- 
ton, with  the  embroidered  ends  gathered  in  a  knot 
around  his  neck.  His  feet  were  defended  by  sandals 
having  soles  of  gold,  and  the  leather  thongs  that 
bound  them  to  his  ankles  were  embossed  with  the 
same  metal.  Both  the  cloak  and  sandals  were 
decorated  with  pearls  and  precious  stones,  among 
which  the  emerald  and  the  chalchivitl  (a  green  stone 
of  higher  estimation  than  any  other  among  the 
Aztecs)  were  conspicuous.  On  his  head  he  wore  a 
cap  of  plumes  of  the  royal  green  which  floated  down 
his  back,  the  badge  of  military  rather  than  regal 
rank.  He  was  at  this  time  about  forty  years  of  age, 
was  tall  and  thin,  but  well  proportioned.  His  hair, 
which  was  black  and  straight,  was  not  very  long. 
His  beard  was  thin,  and  his  complexion  somewhat 
paler  than  was  often  seen  among  his  copper-colored 
race.  His  features,  though  serious  in  their  expres- 


248  Wah-kee-nah 


sion,  did  not  wear  the  look  of  melancholy  or  dejection. 
He  moved  with  dignity,  and  his  whole  demeanor, 
tempered  by  an  expression  of  benignity,  was  worthy 
of  a  great  prince. 

"  When  he  approached,  Cortes  dismounted,  and, 
attended  by  a  few  of  his  principal  officers,  advanced 
to  meet  him.  It  was  a  strange  sight  to  both,  but 
particularly  to  the  Aztec  Emperor,  who  saw  a  "  white 
face"  for  the  first  time,  and  in  that  white  face  saw 
the  strange  being  whose  history  seemed  to  be  so 
mysteriously  connected  with  his  own  ;  the  predicted 
one  of  his  oracles,  whose  achievements  proclaimed 
him  something  more  than  human. 

"  But  whatever  the  monarch's  feelings  may  have 
been,  he  so  far  suppressed  them  as  to  receive  his 
guest  with  princely  courtesy,  and  to  graciously  wel- 
come him  to  his  capital.  Cortes  responded  with  the 
most  profound  expressions  of  respect,  and  made 
ample  acknowledgments  for  the  substantial  proofs 
which  the  Emperor  had  given  the  Spaniards  of  his 
munificence.  He  then  hung  around  Montezuma's 
neck  a  sparkling  chain  of  colored  crystals,  accom- 
panying this  act  with  a  movement  as  if  to  embrace 
him,  when  he  was  restrained  by  two  of  the  Aztec 
nobles,  who  were  shocked  at  the  menaced  profana- 
tion of  the  sacred  person  of  their  monarch. 

"  After  the  civilities  were  finished,  Montezuma 
instructed  his  brother  to  conduct  the  Spaniards  to 
their  quarters  in  the  city,  and  entering  his  palanquin 
was  borne  off  amid  prostrate  crowds,  in  the  same 
stately  manner  in  which  he  had  come," 


And  Her  People.  249 

The  Spaniards  soon  followed,  and  with  music  and 
flying  colors  marched  to  the  quarters  prepared  for 
them  in  the  southern  quarter  of  the  great  capital 
of  Mexico,  which  they  had  so  longed  to  see  and 
enter. 

It  is  strange  how  historians  differ  in  their  accounts 
of  newly  discovered  nations. 

Lord  Macaulay  says  that,  "  The  victories  of  Cortes 
had  been  gained  over  savages  who  had  no  letters, 
who  were  ignorant  of  the  use  of  metals,  who  had  not 
broken  in  a  single  animal  to  labor,  who  wielded  no 
better  weapons  than  those  that  could  be  made  out 
of  sticks,  flints,  and  fish  bones,  and  who  regarded 
a  horse-soldier  as  a  monster,  half  man  and  half 
beast." 

Other  historians,  and  the  facts,  differ  widely  from 
this  estimate. 

Prior  to  the  arrival  of  Cortes,  no  white  man  had 
ever  been  among  these  people.  We  therefore 
have  no  description  of  the  natives  of  this  country, 
prior  to  that  written  by  the  men  who  accompanied 
him.  That  they  did  not  exaggerate,  is  proven  by 
the  fact  that  they  are  corroborated  by  other  writers 
of  the  same  century,  and  by  the  few  ancient  manu- 
scripts, hieroglyphics,  and  picture-writings  of  the 
natives,  which  fortunately  escaped  the  general  de- 
struction and  which  have  been  interpreted  by  those 
whose  only  ambition  has  been  to  get  at  the  truth. 

All  these  historians  contradict  Lord  Macaulay,  and 
agree  in  saying  that  the  Mexican  Indians  were  a  vast 
people  ;  "  that  they  were  not  like  the  Indians  of  the 


250  Wah-kee-  nah 


islands,  living  in  huts,  but  lived  in  substantial  stone 
houses,  and  formed  a  mighty  kingdom,  mighty  at 
least  in  appearance,  with  dependant  states  that  paid 
tribute  to  King  Montezuma;  that  these  Indians  were 
possessed  of  a  fierce  and  pertinacious  bravery  ;  that 
their  weapons  were  bows  and  arrows,  a  formidable 
sword,  and  javelins  tipped  with  copper,  and  that  they 
would  not  have  been  contemptible  anywhere  in  a 
previous  age  ;  that  they  were  expert  marksmen — it 
not  being  an  unusual  thing  for  archers  to  assemble 
together  and  throw  an  ear  of  maize  into  the  air,  at 
which  they  immediately  shot  with  such  quickness 
and  dexterity,  that  before  it  reached  the  ground  it 
would  be  struck  with  many  arrows."  Horses  were 
unknown  to  the  Mexican  Indians  and  it  was  no 
wonder  they  looked  upon  the  horse-soldiers  of  Cortes 
as  monsters. 

That  does  not  show  (as  Lord  Macaulay  seemed  to 
think)  that  the  Mexican  Indians  were  very  far  from 
being  civilized.  The  old  Romans  were  quite  ad- 
vanced in  civilization,  yet  their  legions  were  overcome 
by  fear,  and  thrown  into  the  greatest  confusion,  by 
the  strange  appearance  of  the  elephants  in  their  first 
engagement  with  Pyrrhus. 

The  descriptions  given  of  the  houses,  cultivation 
of  lands,  and  the  customs  of  the  native  Indians  whom 
Cortes  met,  showed  that  they  were  far  advanced  in 
civilization.  It  is  indeed  a  question  whether  they 
were  hot  further  advanced  than  their  conquerors. 
True,  they  were  idolators,  and  the  black  stain  of 
human  sacrifice  was  upon  their  hands  ;  a  thing  to 


And  Her  People.  2  5 1 

us  most  abhorrent,  but  with  them  robbed  to  a  great 
extent  of  its  sting  by  the  prevailing  superstition 
"that  he  who  died  in  battle,  or  upon  the  altar  of  the 
gods,  went  directly  to  heaven."  This  belief  was  so 
prevalent  and  so  firmly  rooted  in  the  minds  of  the 
people,  that  many,  of  their  own  free  will,  offered 
themselves  to  the  priests  for  sacrifice. 

Putting  aside  this  one  great  blot,  we  find  a  nation 
far  advanced  in  architecture,  art,  astronomy,  chirog- 
raphy,  and  government ;  and  these  constitute  civiliza- 
tion. We  have  seen  what  fine  architecture  the 
Spaniards  found  throughout  the  country,  and  in  this 
the  capital,  the  residence  of  their  monarch,  it  was 
even  more  beautiful  and  massive.  A  palace  built  by 
Montezuma's  father,  and  which  had  stood  about  fifty 
years,  was  appropriated  to  the  Spaniards.  When 
they  arrived,  the  Emperor  was  there  in  the  court- 
yard waiting  to  receive  them.  He  had  with  him  a 
beautiful  vase  of  flowers,  and  a  massive  collar  made 
of  gold,  equal  in  workmanship  to  anything  the  gold- 
smiths in  Europe  could  make,  and  costly  shells, 
which  were  set  in  gold  and  fastened  together  with 
heavy  links  of  the  same  metal ;  also  eight  heavy 
golden  pendants  wrought  in  curious  shapes  and  de- 
signs, and  of  delicate  workmanship.  Montezuma 
hung  the  collar  around  the  neck  of  Cortes,  at  the 
same  time  making  him  a  present  of  the  palace  and 
its  grounds,  after  which  he  took  his  departure. 

The  building  was  spacious,  one  story  in  height, 
except  in  the  centre,  where  it  was  two.  The  apart- 
ments were  of  great  size,  affording  accommodations 


252  Wah-kee-nah 


for  the  whole  of  Cortes'  army.  The  best  apartments 
were  hung  with  gay  draperies,  and  the  floors  covered 
with  mats.  There  were,  stools  or  chairs  made  of 
wood,  elaborately  carved,  and  in  most  of  the  apart- 
ments were  beds  made  of  palm  leaves  woven 
into  a  thick  mattress,  with  coverlets  and  canopies  of 
cotton. 

Montezuma  visited  them  again  the  next  day,  and 
asked  many  questions  about  the  Spaniards — where 
they  came  from,  what  they  came  for,  etc.  Before 
leaving,  he  presented  Cortes  with  clothing  for  every 
man  in  his  army,  including  the  allies,  and  also  with 
gold  chains  and  other  ornaments  in  great  profusion. 
He  then  withdrew,  leaving  the  Spaniards  deeply  im- 
pressed with  his  munificence  and  affability,  so  unlike 
what  they  had  been  led  to  expect. 

Cortes,  ostensibly  to  celebrate  the  arrival  of  his 
army  in  the  City  of  Mexico,  but  in  reality  to  let  the 
inhabitants  of  the  city  know  that  he  still  had  the 
thunder  and  lightning  with  him,  as  soon  as  it  be- 
came dark  ordered  a  general  discharge  of  his  artil- 
lery. "  The  thunders  of  the  ordnance,  reverberating 
among  the  buildings,  and  shaking  them  to  their 
foundations,  the  stench  of  the  sulphurous  vapor  that 
rolled  in  volumes  above  the  walls  of  the  court-yard, 
reminded  the  inhabitants  of  the  explosions  of  the 
great  volcanoes,  and  filled  the  hearts  of  the  Aztecs 
with  dismay.  It  told  them  that  they  had,  in  the 
bosom  of  their  city,  those  dread  beings  whose  path 
had  been  marked  with  desolation,  who  could  call 
down  the  thunderbolts  to  consume  their  enemies." 


And  Her  People.  253 

Cortes  did  it  undoubtedly  for  the  express  purpose 
of  impressing  the  natives,  at  the  outset,  with  awe  of 
the  supernatural  powers  of  the  Spaniards. 

The  next  day  Cortes  returned  the  visit  of  the  Em- 
peror. He  found  the  Emperor's  palace  an  extensive 
group  of  stone  buildings  not  exceeding  one  story  in 
height.  It  was  so  spacious  (says  one  who  was  with 
Cortes),  that  although  he  visited  it  more  than  once 
for  the  express  purpose,  he  had  been  too  much  fa- 
tigued each  time  by  wandering  through  the  apart- 
ments ever  to  see  the  whole  of  it.  It  was  built  of 
stone  put  together  with  cement,  and  was  ornamented 
with  marble,  and  on  the  facade  over  the  principal 
entrance  were  sculptured  the  arms  of  Montezuma, 
an  eagle  bearing  an  ocelot  in  his  talons. 

In  the  courts  many  fountains  of  crystal  water  were 
playing,  and  they  supplied  more  than  a  hundred 
baths  in  the  interior  of  the  palace.  Crowds  of  Aztec 
nobles  were  sauntering  about  in  these  squares  and 
outer  halls,  in  their  attendance  upon  the  court.  The 
apartments  were  of  immense  size,  though  not  lofty. 
The  ceilings  were  of  various  sorts  of  odorous  woods 
ingeniously  carved,  and  the  floors  were  covered  with 
mats  made  of  the  palm  leaf.  Some  of  the  walls  were 
hung  with  richly  colored  tapestry,  some  with  the 
skins  of  wild  animals,  and  others  with  gorgeous 
draperies  of  featherwork  wrought  in  imitation  of 
birds,  insects,  and  flowers,  that  would  compare  fav- 
orably with  the  tapestries  of  Flanders.  Spices  and 
incense  made  the  air  fragrant. 

The  visitors  were  obliged  to  cover  their  gay  attire 


254  Wah-kee-nah 


with  a  coarse  cloak  and  to  remove  their  shoes  before 
being  presented.  Advancing  in  this  condition,  and 
with  downcast  eyes,  they  approached  the  Emperor, 
whom  they  found  at  the  farther  end  of  a  spacious 
apartment,  the  walls  of  which  were  hung  with 
beautiful  tapestries,  and  the  wooden  ceiling  exquis- 
itely carved. 

Cortes  made  a  long  speech  to  the  Emperor  upon 
the  duties  of  his  religion,  but  it  had  little  or  no  effect 
upon  Montezuma,  for  he  was  wedded  to  his  own, 
having  been  a  priest  when  he  was  elected  emperor. 
He  listened  with  silent  attention  until  Cortes  had 
finished,  and  then  replied  in  the  following  language: 

"  I  know  you  have  talked  like  this  wherever  you 
have  been.  I  doubt  not  that  your  God  is  a  good 
being.  My  gods  are  also  good.  What  you  say 
about  the  creation  of  the  world,  is  the  same  as  I 
have  been  taught  to  believe.  It  is  not  worth  while 
to  further  discuss  the  matter.  My  ancestors  were 
not  the  original  proprietors  of  this  land.  They  have 
occupied  it  but  a  few  ages.  They  were  led  here  by 
a  great  being,  who,  after  giving  them  laws,  and  ruling 
over  the  nation  for  a  time,  withdrew  to  the  regions 
where  the  sun  rises.  He  declared  on  his  departure, 
that  he,  or  his  descendants,  would  again  visit  this 
country  and  resume  his  empire.  Your  wonderful 
deeds,  your  fair  complexion,  and  the  quarter  from 
whence  you  come,  all  show  that  you  are  his  descend- 
ants. If  I  have  resisted  your  visit  to  the  capital,  it 
was  because  I  heard  such  accounts  of  your  cruelties  ; 
that  you  sent  the  lightning  to  consume  my  people, 


And  Her  People.  255 

or  crushed  them  to  death  under  the  feet  of  ferocious 
animals.  I  am  now  convinced  that  these  were  idle 
tales,  and  that  you  are  kind  and  generous  in  your 
natures ;  that  you  are  mortals,  but  of  a  different 
race,  wiser  and  more  valiant,  and  for  this  I  honor 
you." 

Then  smiling,  he  added  :  "  You,  too,  have  been 
told,  perhaps,  that  I  am  a  god,  and  dwell  in  palaces 
of  gold  -and  silver.  But  you  see  it  is  false.  My 
houses,  though  large,  are  of  stone  and  wood  like 
those  of  others,  and  as  to  my  body,  you  see  it  is 
flesh  and  bone  like  yours.  It  is  true,  I  have  a  great 
empire,  inherited  from  my  ancestors,  lands,  and  gold, 
and  silver.  But  your  sovereign  beyond  the  waters 
is,  I  know,  the  rightful  lord  of  all.  I  rule  in  his 
name.  You  are  his  ambassador.  You  and  your 
brethren  shall  share  these  things  with  me.  Rest  now 
from  your  labors.  You  are  here  in  your  own  dwell- 
ings, and  everything  shall  be  provided  for  your  sub- 
sistence. I  will  see  that  your  wishes  shall  be  obeyed 
in  the  same  way  as  my  own." 

On  finishing  his  speech,  the  once  proud  and 
haughty  monarch's  eyes  were  filled  with  tears. 

Before  dismissing  his  visitors,  Montezuma,  as 
usual,  made  them  handsome  presents,  amounting, 
says  Bernald  Diaz  (who  was  one  of  the  party)  to  at 
least  two  heavy  collars  of  the  precious  metal  for  the 
share  of  the  poorest  soldier. 

Diaz  also  says  :  "  We  were  all  touched  by  the 
emotion  displayed  by  Montezuma,  as  well  as  by  his 
princely  spirit  .of  liberality,  and  on  the  way  to  our 


256  Wah-kee-nah 


quarters  could  talk  of  nothing  but  the  gentle  breed- 
ing and  courtesy  of  the  Indian  monarch." 

"  In  the  appearance  of  the  capital,  its  massive,  yet 
elegant  architecture,  its  luxurious  social  accommoda- 
tions, and  its  activity  in  trade,  Cortes  saw  and 
recognized  the  proofs  of  the  intellectual  progress, 
mechanical  skill,  and  enlarged  resources  of  an  old 
and  opulent  community." 

There  was  a  square  set  apart  for  a  market,  large 
enough  to  accommodate  forty  thousand  people. 
There,  on  market-days,  could  be  found  persons  from 
every  part  of  the  empire,  with  their  wares  for  sale  or 
exchange.  The  goldsmiths  and  jewellers,  the  potters, 
the  painters,  the  stone-cutters,  the  hunters,  the 
fishermen,  the  fruiterers,  the  mat-  and  chair-makers, 
and  the  florists, — each  with  a  separate  place  assigned 
them.  The  workmanship  of  the  artists  in  gold  and 
silver,  also  those  in  embroidery,  tapestry,  curtains, 
coverlets,  etc.,  equalled,  if  it  did  not  surpass,  that 
of  Europe. 

Their  money  was  a  piece  of  metal  resembling  tin, 
stamped  or  made  into  the  shape  of  the  Roman  letter 
T,  and  quills  filled  with  gold  dust. 

There  was  also  in  the  city  a  menagerie,  owned  by 
the  government,  in  which  were  to  be  seen  specimens 
of  all  the  wild  beasts  and  birds  of  the  country. 
This  collection  was  so  large  that  it  required  the  ser- 
vices of  five  hundred  men  daily  to  take  care  for  it. 

Aqueducts  brought  water  into  the  city  for  the  use 
of  the  entire  populace.  The  number  of  inhabitants 
in  the  city  was  variously  estimated  at  from  two  to 


And  Her  People. 


257 


three  hundred  thousand.  The  dishes  used  by  the 
common  people  were  made  of  clay,  and  those  of  the 
Emperor  were  of  gold  and  silver.  The  women  were 
dressed  in  loose  garments  reaching  from  the  neck  to 
the  feet,  and  held  at  the  waist -by  a  girdle.  The 
skirt  was  sometimes  bordered  with  beautiful  fringes. 
A  light  flowing  drapery  was  occasionally  worn  over 
this,  reaching  from  the  shoulders  to  the  ankles  in 
front,  and  trailing  upon  the  ground  behind,  a  dress 
that  would  be  becoming  in  any  civilized  land. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IT  will  be  remembered  that  Cortes  promised  at  one 
time  to  repay  Montezuma  for  his  munificent 
presents  in  "  good  works."  His  indebtedness  was 
large,  for  while  in  the  City  of  Mexico  he  divided  the 
spoils  among  his  officers  and  men,  and  upon  apprais- 
ing them  for  such  division  they  were  found  to 
amount  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  thousand 
"  pesos  de  oro,"  independent  of  the  fine  ornaments 
and  jewelry,  the  value  of  which  Cortes  computes  at 
five  hundred  thousand  ducats  more.  There  were 
also  five  hundred  marks  of  silver,  in  plate,  drinking 
cups,  and  other  articles  of  luxury. 

The  whole  amount  reduced  to  the  currency  of  the 
United  States,  and  making  allowance  for  the  differ- 
ence in  the  value  of  gold  since  the  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  was  about  six  million,  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  or  in  English  currency,  one 
million,  four  hundred  and  seventeen  thousand  pounds 
sterling. 

Cortes  repaid  this  debt,  besides  the  one  of  grati- 
tude he  owed  to  Montezuma  for  his  kind  reception 
and  care  upon  reaching  the  capital,  by  arresting  the 
Emperor,  and  making  him  a  prisoner  in  his  camp, 
upon  the  slight  pretence  that  he  had  connived  at 

258 


Wah-kee-nah  and  Her  People.          259 


the  act  of  a  cazique  upon  the  coast  in  the  murder  of 
two  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  left  at  the  little  fort  at 
Villa  Rica. 

After  making  the  Emperor  a  prisoner,  he  obliged 
him  to  order  the  arrest  of  this  cazique,  and  have  him 
brought  to  the  capital.  When  the  cazique  arrived, 
the  Emperor  was  compelled  to  turn  the  cazique,  his 
son,  and  fifteen  chiefs  who  accompanied  him,  over 
to  Cortes  to  be  dealt  with  by  him ;  and  this  "  Chris- 
tian soldier"  condemned  them  all  to  be  burned  alive 
in  the  area  before  the  palace,  which  was  done.  This 
was  an  act  of  cruelty  worse  than  any  ever  committed 
by  Indians,  because  it  was  done  by  men  claiming  to 
be  civilized. 

So  unjustifiably  barbarous  was  this  act,  that  it  near- 
ly annihilated  the  belief  in  the  minds  of  many  of  the 
natives  that  the  Spaniards  were  the  descendants  of 
the  good  "  God  of  the  Air,"  and  would  have  resulted 
in  an  immediate  uprising,  had  not  Montezuma,  by 
the  command  of  Cortes,  issued  orders  which  quieted 
the  populace. 

But  another  wanton  and  cruel  butchery  soon 
brought  on  the  crisis.  Cortes  left  the  city  for 
a  visit  to  the  coast.  He  placed  one  of  his  officers, 
Alvarado,  in  command  during  his  absence.  While 
Alvarado  was  in  command,  the  Aztecs  desired  to  hold 
a  customary  annual  festival  in  the  court-yard  of  the 
great  temple.  As  the  city  was  then  under  command 
of  the  Spaniards,  they  asked  permission  of  Alvarado, 
which  was  granted  on  condition  that  they  should 
bear  no  arms,  and  have  no  sacrifices. 


260  Wah-kee-nah 


On  the  appointed  day,  the  Aztecs  assembled  to 
the  number  of  about  six  hundred  (some  writers  say 
a  thousand).  The  company  was  composed  almost 
entirely  of  the  rich  and  the  officials  of  the  city,  at- 
tired in  their  gala  dress  and  wearing  gold  necklaces, 
armlets,  anklets,  and  precious  stones  in  profusion. 

Alvarado  and  his  Spanish  soldiers,  fully  armed, 
attended  as  spectators ;  some  remained  outside  the 
walls,  some  at  the  gates  as  if  by  chance,  and  others 
mingled  with  the  crowd.  The  fact  of  the  Spaniards 
being  armed  excited  no  suspicion,  as  they  always 
carried  their  arms  when  about  the  city.  When  the 
Aztecs  became  fully  engrossed  in  the  dances,  at  a 
given  signal  Alvarado  and  his  men  rushed  upon 
them,  slaughtering  their  unarmed  victims  without 
the  slightest  pity  or  mercy.  Those  who  ran  to  the 
gates  were  hewn  down  by  the  soldiers  stationed 
there,  while  those  who  climbed  the  wall  were  shot 
by  the  soldiers  stationed  on  the  outside  for  that 
purpose.  "  The  pavement,"  says  a  writer  who  wit- 
nessed it,  "  ran  with  streams  of  blood,  like  water  in 
a  heavy  shower."  Not  an  Aztec  of  all  that  gay 
company  was  left  alive,  and  after  the  slaughter  the 
civilized  and  Christianized  Spaniards  rifled  the  dead 
of  their  valuable  ornaments. 

This  most  inhuman  and  atrocious  act  opened  the 
eyes  of  the  deluded  Aztecs  living  in  the  City  of 
Mexico,  to  the  fact  that  the  Spaniards  were  most  as- 
suredly not  the  descendants  of  the  good  "  God  of  the 
Air,"  and  from  that  moment  the  old  tradition  began 
to  lose  its  hold  upon  their  minds.  The  Emperor 


A  nd  Her  People.  2  6 1 

Montezuma  having  died  while  a  prisoner,  the  citi- 
zens, on  the  night  of  July  I,  1520,  rose  in  their 
might  and  drove  the  Spanish  invaders  out  of  their 
city  with  fearful  slaughter.  The  attack  occurred 
after  Cortes  had  returned  to  the  "city,  and  that  any 
of  the  Spaniards  escaped  with  their  lives  is  undoubt- 
edly due  to  his  generalship. 

Cortes  had  been  reinforced  by  the  soldiers,  horses, 
and  cannon  of  Narvaez,  so  that  he  had  at  that  time 
about  one  thousand  foot-soldiers  and  one  hundred 
horses,  and  ten  large  and  small  cannon. 

Of  this  force,  he  lost  on  the  night  he  was  driven 
from  the  city,  four  hundred  and  fifty  Spaniards,  all 
but  twenty  of  his  horses,  and  all  his  cannon. 

I  think  this  event  proves  conclusively  that  had  it  not 
been  for  the  supineness  of  the  Emperor,  caziques, 
and  people,  caused  by  the  tradition,  or  prophecy, 
in  regard  to  the  good  "  God  of  the  Air,"  and  their 
belief  that  the  Spaniards  were  his  descendants,  Cor- 
tes could  never  have  advanced  far  into  the  country 
of  the  Aztecs. 

It  was  this  belief,  which  still  lingered  in  the  minds 
of  the  caziques,  chiefs,  and  people  of  the  country, 
that  enabled  Cortes  to  raise  another  army  after  his 
expulsion  from  the  capital,  and  finally  to  conquer 
Guatemozin,  the  chief  who  had  assumed  full  com- 
mand after  the  death  of  Montezuma. 

Cortes  promised  this  chief  personal  protection,  if 
he  would  capitulate  and  cease  fighting,  but  in  place 
of  such  protection,  he  delivered  Guatemozin  to  his 
men  to  be  tortured,  in  the  hope  of  compelling  him 


262  Wah-nee-nah 


to  tell  where  the  supposed  vast  wealth  of  the  city 
had  been  buried, — he  from  the  first  protesting  that 
he  did  not  know,  except  that  one  large  dial  of  gold 
had  been  thrown  into  the  garden-pond  at  his  palace. 
They  burned  his  feet  with  slow  fire,  and  tortured 
him  most  unmercifully  but  he  told  of  nothing  more, 
for  the  reason,  as  he  said,  that  he  did  not  know  the 
whereabouts  of  any  other  treasure. 

Cortes  subsequently  gave  another  evidence  of  his 
manner  of  keeping  sacred  promises,  by  hanging  the 
chief,  with  several  of  his  nobles,  to  a  tree  by  the 
roadside. 

The  fall  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  which  Cortes  ac- 
complished with  the  aid  of  the  natives  who  yet 
believed  in  the  legend,  practically  ended  the  ex- 
istence of  the  Aztecs. 

The  Spaniards  having  conquered  and  obtained 
possession,  began  flocking  into  the  country,  and 
established  a  government  not  a  step  in  advance  of 
the  one  they  had  destroyed  ;  and  in  regard  to  the 
sacrifice  of  human  life,  revolting  as  it  is,  it  is 
quite  questionable  whether  a  greater  number  of 
victims  can  be  charged  to  the  Aztecs,  or  the  Span- 
iards, when  we  take  into  the  account  all  who  were 
put  to  death  in  Spain,  in  the  Netherlands,  and  in 
every  other  country  in  which  the  Spaniards  ever  had 
power  or  influence  ;  and  in  the  manner  of  the  kill- 
ing the  Aztecs  were  far  in  advance  of  the  Spaniards 
in  the  scale  of  humanity.  They  executed  their  vic- 
tims in  the  quickest  possible  manner,  with  the  body 
placed  in  the  most  convenient  position  for  doing  it 


And  Her  People.  263 

speedily  and  with  the  least  suffering ;  while  the 
Spaniards  caused  their  victims  to  suffer  the  untold 
tortures  of  the  rack,  slow  fire,  and  numberless  other 
most  exquisite,  ingenious,  and  excruciating  modes 
of  torture.  The  method  that  would  keep  the  poor 
victim  alive  the  longest,  under  the  most  severe  suf- 
fering, was  always  the  favorite  with  them.  Both 
sacrificed  their  victims  in  the  name  of  religion,  as 
an  act  pleasing  to  the  deities  they  worshipped,  but 
the  Spaniards  were  far  more  fiendish  and  cruel 
than  the  Indians,  although  they  called  themselves 
civilized. 

The  Aztecs  were  completely  crushed,  so  that  the 
few  who  remain  to-day  are  mere  nomads  in  the  coun- 
try that  was  once  their  own,  and  the  seat  of  the  most 
extensive  agriculture  and  remarkable  horticulture 
then  known  to  the  world. 

The  evidences  of  their  civilization  have  nearly  all 
been  scattered  to  the  winds.  Even  their  histories 
and  writings,  with  few  exceptions,  were  gathered  in 
piles  on  the  plazas  in  the  different  cities  and  burned 
by  the  so-called  civilized  and  enlightened  Spaniards. 

But  from  the  few  records  that  escaped  destruction, 
and  from  the  other  signs  of  civilization,  as  exhibited 
in  the  accounts  we  have  of  their  government,  archi- 
tecture, horticulture,  religious  belief,  and  system  of 
education,  I  am  firmly  of  the  opinion  that,  had 
America  never  been  discovered  by  Europeans,  the 
civilization  existing  in  Mexico  would  in  time  have 
grown  to  the  same  perfection  it  has  now  attained  in 
Europe  and  America,  and  spread  until  it  had  brought 


264  Wah-kee-nah 


every  nation,  tribe,  and  people  of  this  continent 
within  its  healthful  and  enlightened  influence. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  our  own  ancestors  were 
once  as  ignorant  and  wild  as  any  of  the  tribes  of 
North  America,  and  that  they  passed  through  the 
various  stages  of  semi-civilization  we  have  seen  ex- 
isting here  ;  yet,  in  the  course  of  time,  they  emerged 
from  that  barbarism  and  mental  darkness  into  the 
light  and  civilization  of  the  present  day.  They  had 
no  help  or  light  from  others  ;  it  was  all  accomplished 
through  the  workings  of  their  own  brain ;  and  no 
one  will  dispute  the  fact  that  the  Indians  of  North 
America  have  exhibited  as  strong  and  powerful  in- 
tellects as  any  human  beings  ever  possessed  prior  to 
education  and  culture. 

In  the  United  States  and  Canada,  the  respective 
governments  have  to  some  extent  tried  to  ameliorate 
the  forlorn  condition  of  the  Indians  within  their 
borders. 

The  government  of  the  United  States  adopted  the 
plan  of  dealing  with  them  as  "  dependent  nations," 
making  treaties  with  them  as  with  a  foreign  power. 
Owing  to  the  weakness  of  the  "  dependent  nations," 
and  their  not  being  able  to  enforce  their  "  treaty 
rights,"  this  system  has  proved  a  grand  farce. 

The  government  has  violated  the  provisions  of 
these  "  solemn  treaties  "  whenever  it  suited  its  con- 
venience to  do  so. 

When  the  Indians  were  placed  upon  reservations, 
where  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  obtain  food  and 
clothing  for  themselves,  the  government,  in  payment 


And  Her  People.  265 

for  the  land  ceded  to  it  by  the  Indians,  "  solemnly  " 
provided  in  the  treaties  to  furnish  them  with  these 
necessaries. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  one  of  the  sacred 
promises  in  every  treaty  has  been  that  white  men 
should  be  kept  from  settling  or  trespassing  upon  the 
reservations,  and  that  the  Indians  should  be  protected 
from  the  white  man's  avarice,  fraud,  and  assaults. 

How  well  the  government  has  kept  these  promises 
the  Indian  wars  during  the  past  few  years  attest. 
The  great  majority,  if  not  all  of  them,  have  arisen 
from  the  white  man's  trespasses,  or  from  the  fact  that 
the  Indians  were  starving  upon  the  reservations,  and 
in  many  of  their  appeals  to  the  government  they 
have  said  that  they  had  rather  die  upon  the  war-path 
than  by  the  slow,  lingering  tortures  of  starvation. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  when  an  Indian  has 
plenty  to  eat  he  is  a  quiet  individual,  and,  from  my 
personal  acquaintance  with  them,  I  think  I  may  safely 
assert  that  there  would  not  have  been  any  wars  had 
the  government  faithfully  kept  its  promises  in  these 
two  particulars  alone. 

I  am  corroborated  in  this  statement  by  Professor 
Seelye,  formerly  United  States  Commissioner  of  In- 
dian Affairs,  who  said  :  "  There  has  not  been  a  war 
in  fifty  years  in  which  the  whites  have  not  been  the 
aggressors." 

The  other  grievances  could  have  been  settled  by 
giving  time  for  arbitration,  but  an  empty  stomach 
brooks  no  delay.  It  cannot  wait  for  the  slow  process 
of  negotiation. 


266  Wah-kee-nak 


The  dealing  with  them  as  "  nations,"  instead  of  as 
citizens,  for  many  years  past,  has  been  the  source  of 
much  misunderstanding.  It  is  true,  they  could  not 
have  been  admitted  at  once  to  full  citizenship,  but 
they  might  have  enjoyed  a  restricted  citizenship. 

Canada  has  dealt  with  the  Indians  within  her  bor- 
ders as  "  subjects  of  the  crown  "  for  many  years. 
They  are  under  the  power  and  control  of  her  laws, 
and  entitled  to  the  rights  and  privileges  of  "  subjects," 
with  a  few  restrictions  suited  to  their  condition.  The 
result  has  been  that  she  has  had  scarcely  any  trouble 
with  them.  She  has  also  been  careful  in  making 
promises,  making  fewer  than  the  United  States,  but 
strictly  keeping  such  as  she  did  make. 

The  Indians  charge  all  the  frauds  and  outrages 
committed  upon  them  by  the  agents,  contractors, 
inspectors,  and  trespassers,  to  the  government,  for 
they  do  not  understand  why  a  government  cannot 
control  those  in  its  employ. 

It  is  useless  to  discuss  the  question  as  to  whether 
the  Indians  could  have  been,  twenty-five  years  ago, 
made  citizens,  with  some  restrictions,  but  there  can 
be  no  question  that  it  could  have  been  done  as  soon 
as  they  had  been  placed  upon  reservations. 

As  now  situated  upon  the  reservations,  they  are 
practically  without  law.  Their  chiefs  are  almost 
powerless,  and  there  is  no  government  to  take  their 
place.  An  attempt  has  been  made  at  some  of  the 
agencies  to  establish  Indian  courts,  and  the  effort 
has  met  with  some  success.  It  is  a  step  in  the  right 
direction.  In  my  judgment,  a  better  method  than 


And  Her  People.  267 

the  one  now  being  tried  would  be  to  have  a  regularly 
appointed  district  judge  who  should  hold  court  at 
every  agency  within  his  district  at  least  once  in  six 
months,  with  an  Indian  judgQ  as  associate,  such  In- 
dian judge  to  be  appointed  for  each  agency.  All 
juries  passing  upon  matters  between  white  men  and 
Indians  should  be  composed  of  an  equal  number  of 
white  men  and  Indians.  The  Indian  judge  should 
be  empowered  to  hear  and  try  all  petty  matters  be- 
tween the  Indians,  and  have  an  Indian  jury.  The 
agent  should  be  empowered  to  carry  out  the  decisions 
of  the  court.  This  plan,  it  seems  to  me,  would  in- 
sure justice,  and  teach  the  Indians  our  laws  and  the 
manner  of  their  enforcement,  thus  gradually  accustom- 
ing them  to  our  laws  and  our  mode  of  administering 
justice. 

Everything  done  with  regard  to  the  Indians  should 
be  with  the  ulterior  motive  of  making  them  citizens 
at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

The  government  is  also  trying  to  induce  the  In- 
dians to  become  farmers.  This  is  also  a  step  in  the 
right  direction,  but  it  is  foiled  to  a  great  extent  by 
the  present  manner  of  teaching  them.  An  act  of 
Congress  provides  that  assistant  farmers  shall  be 
sent  among  the  Indians  to  teach  them  farming. 
How  this  has  been  done  is  well  illustrated  by  what 
was  told  me  within  the  past  year  by  a  Senator  of  the 
United  States,  who  was  one  of  a  committee  appointed 
to  investigate  this  subject.  He  said  they  found  one 
of  these  teachers  who,  when  asked  how  to  plant 
turnips,  said  :  "  Cut  them  into  small  pieces  and  put 


268  Wah-kee-nah 


a  few  of  the  pieces  in  a  hill."  How  long  would  it 
take  Indians  to  become  self-supporting  farmers  under 
such  instruction  ?  The  difficulty  is  that  such  appoint- 
ments are  frequently  made  for  political  reasons,  and 
with  entire  disregard  to  any  fitness  of  the  appointee 
for  the  work. 

The  law  provides  for  the  inspection  of  supplies ; 
but,  from  some  hidden  cause,  the  goods  that  are 
served  to  the  Indians  fall  far  short  of  the  quality 
paid  for  by  the  government.  It  is  not  so  with  sup- 
plies furnished  the  army. 

The  government  of  the  United  States  has  estab- 
lished and  maintains  two  hundred  and  forty-six 
schools  for  the  Indians,  and  there  are  several  other 
schools  that  take  Indian  children  under  contract  with 
the  Indian  Bureau,  and,  during  the  year  1890,  the 
government  appropriated  one  million  three  hundred 
and  sixty-four  thousand  dollars  for  the  education  of 
Indian  children,  and  in  1892  increased  the  sum  to 
two  million  two  hundred  and  sixteen  thousand 
dollars. 

But  it  is  not  my  purpose  to  give  statistics,  I  men- 
tion the  above  merely  to  show  what  is  being  done 
within  the  United  States  and  its  territories  for  the 
education  of  the  Indians. 

Neither  do  I  intend  to  charge  all  Indian  agents 
with  dishonesty  or  unfaithfulness.  There  may  be 
some  honest  and  honorable  ones  (naturalists  tell  us 
there  are  white  crows),  but  when  the  fact  is  patent 
— established  beyond  dispute — that  the  Indians  are 
everywhere  cheated  and  swindled,  we  cannot  but  sus- 


And  Her  People.  269 

pect  the  persons  who  would  naturally  profit  pecuni- 
arily by  such  swindling.  It  is  natural  to  look  for 
the  motive  governing  men's  actions ;  and  what  hon- 
est motive  could  induce  a  man  to  banish  himself  and 
family  from  all  the  blessings,  privileges,  and  enjoy- 
ments of  civilization,  for  the  mere  pittance  of  fifteen 
hundred  dollars  a  year,  when  most,  if  not  all  of  which 
would  have  to  be  expended  in  living,  is  beyond  my 
ken  ;  unless,  indeed,  he  goes  partly  as  a  missionary, 
expecting  to  receive  the  balance  of  his  earnings  when 
he  reaches  the  "  Happy  Hunting-Grounds." 

I  have  been  among  Indians  while  they  were  yet 
in  their  primitive  state,  and  can  fully  corroborate  the 
reports  made  concerning  them  by  those  who  first 
visited  this  continent,  that  in  their  primitive  state 
they  are  a  good-natured,  quiet  people,  well  disposed 
towards  white  men,  and  in  my  opinion,  had  they 
been  fairly  dealt  with,  they  would  never  have  given 
the  whites  any  trouble  or  annoyance. 

I  also  believe  that  had  the  treatment  inaugurated 
by  Governor  Penn  been  universally  adopted  from 
the  first,  the  Indians,  as  fast  as  civilization  reached 
them,  would  have  mingled  with  us  and  become  a 
part  of  the  body  politic,  like  the  Negro,  only  upon 
a  higher  plane,  for  no  such  race  prejudice  ever  ex- 
isted against  them  as  has  always  existed  against  the 
Negro.  There  was  nothing  to  prevent  their  becom- 
ing a  part  of  our  people,  except  the  bitter  hatred  en- 
gendered in  their  bosoms  by  the  unjust  and  cruel 
treatment  they  received  at  the  hands  of  the  whites  ; 
a  hatred  that  would,  if  possible,  last  beyond  the 


270  Wah-kee-nah 


grave,  as  was  said  by  the  old  Indian  chief  of  whom 
I  have  before  spoken. 

They  would  have  made  good  and  useful  citizens, 
instead  of  being  what  they  are  now — isolated  com- 
munities having  little  governments  of  their  own,  or 
shut  up  on  reservations  in  a  semi-civilized  condition, 
and  under  charge  of  the  government  as  wards. 

They  have  shown  themselves  capable  of  civilized 
self-government,  as  witness  the  Aztecs  in  Mexico  in 
early  times,  and  the  Senecas  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  the  Cherokees,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  and 
others  that  might  be  mentioned,  of  the  present  day. 

As  to  those  who  have  not  yet  entered  upon  a 
civilized  life,  there  is  no  question  that,  with  but  few 
exceptions,  their  minds  are  filled  with  animosity 
against  us  ;  and  as  we  cannot  justly  blame  them  for 
this,  and  as  it  is  impossible  to  redeem  the  past,  we 
must  deal  with  them  as  they  now  are,  having  due 
regard  to  their  future  as  well  as  their  present  good. 
Our  judgment  in  determining  what  is  for  their  good 
is  much  better  than  their  own,  and  they  must  submit 
to  it. 

Those  who  are  opposed  to  having  their  children 
attend  school  or  receive  instruction  in  mechanical  or 
agricultural  pursuits,  must  be  compelled  to  submit 
to  our  better  judgment  in  the  matter. 

I  cannot  too  strongly  reiterate  my  belief  that  it 
would  be  for  the  best  interest  of  the  Indians,  no  less 
than  for  the  government,  to  make  them  citizens  as 
soon  as  possible,  amenable  to,  and  protected  by  the 
same  laws  as  the  white  citizen,  with  perhaps  some 


And  Her  People.  1 7 1 

few  excepcions,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  aliena- 
tion of  land. 

I  am  heartily  in  favor  of  giving  the  War  Depart- 
ment of  the  government  full  and  entire  control  of 
the  Indians,  for  several  reasons  : 

First — The  officers  of  the  army  are  appointed  for 
life,  conditioned  upon  good  behavior ;  and  this 
relieves  them  from  the  temptation  of  trying  to 
become  rich  in  haste,  lest  they  be  removed  from 
office  on  the  incoming  of  a  new  administration. 

Second — These  officers  would  have  every  incentive 
to  conduct  matters  in  such  a  manner  as  to  avoid 
hostilities.  The  army  suffers  great  trials  and  hard- 
ships in  case  of  an  Indian  war,  and  there  is  no  glory 
to  be  won  in  fighting  Indians.  The  great  majority 
of  army  officers,  and  I  think  I  may  say  all  who  have 
had  any  experience  with  Indians,  are  of  the  same 
opinion  as  Major-General  Wool  (from  whose  report 
I  have  quoted) — "  that  if  the  Indians  were  fairly  and 
justly  dealt  with,  we  would  have  no  trouble  with 
them." 

Third — There  would  be  no  more  Indian  agents 
whose  only  qualifications  for  the  place  consist  in 
being  good  political  wire-pullers. 

Fourth — All  provisions  and  supplies  for  the  Indians 
would  pass  through  the  same  inspection  as  supplies 
for  the  army,  and  there  would  then  be  none  of  the 
present  inspectors  who,  for  reasons  known  to  them- 
selves (and  surmised  by  others),  allow  the  contractors 
to  purchase  poor,  old,  and  worthless  cattle  at  from 
three  to  five  dollars  per  head  (about  what  their  hides 


272  Wah-kee-nah 


are  worth),  and  furnish  them  to  the  Indians  under 
a  contract  with  the  government  which  called  for 
good  fat  cattle,  and  at  a  price  adequate  for  that 
class. 

It  would  also  put  a  stop  to  the  furnishing  of  in- 
ferior blankets,  and  to  the  notorious  inferiority  in 
all  other  supplies  for  which  the  government  pays 
prices  that  should  secure  good  articles. 

Fifth — It  would  be  much  less  expensive  to  the 
government.  The  army  is  paid  whether  active  or 
idle,  and  the  employment  of  some  of  its  officers  as 
bureau  officials  and  Indian  agents,  and  some  of  its 
non-commissioned  officers  and  men  as  assistants, 
would  save  much  of  the  money  now  paid  to  others 
doing  that  work,  and  it  would  be  more  economically 
performed  in  every  way,  even  though  the  army  list 
should  be  increased  to  furnish  the  necessary  number 
of  officers. 

I  am  also  in  favor  of  establishing  practical  agri- 
cultural schools  at  many,  if  not  all  of  the  Indian 
agencies,  and  compelling  all  the  Indians  between 
certain  ages  to  attend  them  a  sufficient  length  of 
time  to  learn  how  to  cultivate  a  farm  successfully. 
The  more  schools  established,  the  sooner  the  desired 
result  would  be  attained. 

I  am  opposed  to  the  allotment  of  land  in  severalty, 
except  to  those  Indians  who  are  sufficiently  edu- 
cated in  the  art  of  farming  to  till  their  allotment 
reasonably  well,  and  who  would  be  able  to  make  a 
living  from  it  for  themselves  and  family. 

Putting  an  Indian  upon  a  piece  of  land  with  the 


And  Her  People.  2  73 

necessary  implements,  before  he  knows  enough  about 
farming  to  till  the  land  properly,  and  then  telling 
him  to  go  to  work  and  make  a  living  for  himself  and 
family,  or  starve,  would  be  like  putting  the  proper 
materials  and  tools  into  the  hands  of  one  of  us  who 
does  not  understand  electricity,  and  telling  him  to 
make  a  dynamo,  or  starve — I  think  most  of  us  would 
be  likely  to  starve.  Yet  the  latter  proposition  is  as 
reasonable  as  the  former. 

The  argument  against  agricultural  schools  would 
be  the  expense.  It  would  be  tedious  to  give  a  list 
of  figures  to  show  that  this  argument  should  have 
little  weight.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  money  the 
government  now  has  in  its  treasury  belonging  to  the 
Indians,  the  amount  of  which  is  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  million  dollars,  with  that  which  would  be 
received  from  the  sale  of  the  surplus  lands  after  the 
allotments  were  made,  would  be  amply  sufficient  to 
cover  all  the  expenses. 

It  may  be  said  we  have  no  right  to  use  the  money 
belonging  to  the  Indians. 

In  answer  to  this  permit  me  to  say  that  I  deem 
it  not  only  the  right,  but  the  positive  duty  of 
the  government  to  use  the  money  belonging  to 
Indians  in  such  a  way  as  will  accomplish  their 
greatest  good ;  and  how  can  it  be  used  to  give 
to  them  and  their  posterity  a  greater  or  more 
lasting  benefit  than  in  teaching  them  practical  me- 
chanics, and  how  to  properly  till  the  soil,  thus 
preparing  them  to  be  self-supporting  citizens  in  the 
not  far-distant  future. 


2  74  Wah-kee-nah 


It  has  been  my  endeavor  in  these  pages  to  re- 
fresh the  memories  of  my  readers  in  regard  to  a 
few  of  the  many  wrongs  which  the  Indians  have 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  white  men,  and  to 
bring  them  to  view  these  things  from  their  stand- 
point, looking  at  events  through  their  eyes  ;  hoping 
thus  to  lessen  the  blame  attached  to  them  for  their 
acts  of  retaliation.  And  I  have  had  in  mind  the 
further  purpose  of  so  enlisting  your  sympathies, 
that  all  the  influence  you  each  possess  may  be 
used  to  urge  upon  the  government  the  necessity 
of  changing  the  present  management  of  the  Indians, 
and  of  adding  to  the  number  of  manual-training 
schools  for  them,  and  to  hasten  also  the  establish- 
ment of  practical  agricultural  schools  at  many  (if 
not  all)  of  the  Indian  agencies  in  the  land, — as 
the  surest,  cheapest,  quickest,  most  humane,  and 
most  practical  way  of  solving  the  Indian  problem. 

We  are  a  great  and  powerful  people — mighty 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  On  account  of 
one  great  national  sin  we  have  passed  through  an 
ordeal  of  chastisement  and  suffering  which  cost  us 
rivers  of  blood,  and  millions  of  treasure — an  ordeal 
from  which  one  section  of  our  country  has  not  even 
yet,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  entirely  recovered.  Let  us  no  longer  rest 
under  the  shadow  of  another  national  sin,  against 
another  unfortunate  race. 

The  Red-men  are  fast  passing  away.  The  beauti- 
ful land  of  their  nativity  will  soon  know  them  no 
more.  It  is  beyond  our  power  to  undo  the  wrongs 


And  Her  People.  275 

inflicted  upon  them  by  our  ancestors ;  but  we  can, 
and  ought  to  be  just — even  generous — towards  the 
few  who  are  still  with  us.  Let  us  hasten  to  re- 
move from  our  national  escutcheon  its  one  foul  blot 
— the  stigma  of  inhumanity  and  injustice  towards 
the  proud  but  hapless  Indian. 

THE   END. 


